Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 12 april 2019
Authorities say deputy's son behind fires at black churches

By MELINDA DESLATTE and Matthews had long been
KEVIN McGILL upset with his parents for
OPELOUSAS, La. (AP) — The not supporting his musical
suspect in a string of fires efforts, Bryyn said. He also
that destroyed three black said Matthews had been
churches in rural Louisiana discouraged in recent
is the white son of a sher- months as Bryyn urged him
iff's deputy whose father to improve the quality of his
helped arrange for his ar- recordings. But Bryyn said
rest, authorities said Thurs- he never sensed anger that
day. would lead to arson.
Holden Matthews, 21, was Matthews had shown inter-
jailed without bail on arson est in "black metal," an ex-
charges in connection with treme subgenre of heavy
the blazes in and around metal, Browning said. The
Opelousas, a city of 16,000 music has been linked, in
where the flame-gutted some instances, to fires at
remains of the buildings Christian churches in Nor-
evoked memories of civil way in the 1990s.
rights era violence. A Facebook page that ap-
Louisiana Fire Marshal peared to belong to Mat-
Butch Browning offered no thews showed him with
motive for the fires. He and This booking image released by the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal shows Holden Matthews, the words "black metal"
other officials stopped short 21, who was arrested Thursday, April 11, 2019, in connection with suspicious fires at three historic spray painted on a wall
of calling them hate crimes. black churches in southern Louisiana. behind him. He also posted
Eric Rommal, the agent in Associated Press a comment on a movie's
charge of the New Orleans portrayal of black metal
FBI office, said investiga- anymore," said Richard, same type of gas can was the father arranged for the musician Varg Vikernes, a
tors were still looking into who was told of the arrest bought March 25 at a store son to leave the house and far-right figure convicted of
whether the fires were "bias late Wednesday. "I was re- in Opelousas, along with go to a place where he manslaughter and arson at
motivated." assured that law enforce- automotive cloths and a could be arrested without three churches.
Browning said there were ment was on our side, that lighter. incident. He did not elabo- Black metal lyrics often es-
no indications that anyone things were finally coming The debit card used in rate. pouse satanism and pa-
else was involved and the to an end." that purchase belonged The younger Matthews was ganism, and a few bands
danger to churches was Investigators used surveil- to Matthews, according to arrested on three counts of feature neo-Nazi beliefs.
over. lance video, cellphone court documents. arson of a religious building. Bryyn acknowledged that
"This community is safe tracking and a Walmart "The purchase time on this A conviction could bring some people involved in
again," he told a news con- receipt to help identify receipt is less than three up to 15 years in prison on black metal music have
ference. "We are extreme- Matthews, who was ar- hours before the first church each count, Browning said. expressed racist ideas, but
ly, unequivocally confident rested late Wednesday. fire was reported," an affi- The fires set many people he insisted it's not typical of
that we have the person They moved quickly, ar- davit said. on edge in and around the genre.
who is responsible for these resting him within 12 hours In addition, cellphone Opelousas, about 140 miles "We've got friends of all
tragic crimes." because they were worried tower data showed Mat- northwest of New Orleans. races," he said. "This is a
The Rev. Harry Richard, that "other crimes were im- thews was in the area of An Associated Press re- very large community. De-
pastor of Greater Union minent," Browning said. all three fires. Surveillance porter was turned away spite the awful image, this is
Baptist Church, which was The charred remains of a video from businesses and from what was believed to the most loving community
destroyed, said the arrest red gas can recovered at homes near the churches, be the home the suspect you could imagine."
put him at ease and let him one of the churches was and on the roads to and shared with his parents. The fires happened over
sleep at night. sold at Walmart locations, from each fire scene, re- Matthews had a defender a 10-day period. The first
"I felt relieved my congre- and the company's in- peatedly showed a ve- in Nygyl Bryyn, a Facebook blaze torched the St. Mary
gation didn't have to worry vestigators found that the hicle that was consistent friend who identified him- Baptist Church on March
with the beige pickup that self as a south Louisiana 26 in Port Barre, a town just
belonged to Matthews' fa- native, musician, entrepre- outside of Opelousas. Days
ther. Matthews apparently neur and agent. In a tele- later, the Greater Union
drove the truck to buy the phone interview from Los Baptist Church and Mount
gas can and other items, Angeles, Brynn described Pleasant Baptist Church in
according to the court Matthews as a talented, Opelousas were burned.
documents. sometimes frustrated musi- Each was more than 100
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bob- cian but not a racist or vio- years old.
by Guidroz confirmed that lent person. The churches were empty
the suspect was the son "As far as being a white su- at the time, and no one
of deputy Roy Matthews, premacist? No. Absolutely was injured.
whom he described as an not," Brynn said. Denzel Washington, a
excellent employee who Bryyn said he met Mat- 23-year-old black resident
knew nothing of his son's thews after moving out of Opelousas, lamented
actions. of state when Matthews, the loss for the congrega-
The elder Matthews was who played guitar and tions that now have to re-
heartbroken when told sang, answered an online build. "But what's the sense
his son was a suspect, the ad while seeking a record in hate? Forgiven. Forgive
sheriff said. deal. They worked togeth- what he's done. It's not go-
"He broke down," Guidroz er and met face to face ing to change nothing," he
said. "It was hard." He said over the years. said.q