March 9, 2006

Alabama Church Burnings

Three college students have been arrested and face federal charges for a series of fires that damaged or destroyed nine rural churches in Alabama. One of the suspects said the crime spree started as a joke and then it went too far while the students were deer hunting.

Benjamin Moseley, 19 (right), Russell Lee DeBusk, Jr., 19 (left), and 20-year-old Matthew Lee Cloyd (center) were arrested and charged with conspiracy and arson for five churches in Bibb County, Alabama and four other churches in west Alabama.

According to The New York Times, the fires broke out at five Baptist churches in Bibb County, Alabama on Feb. 3 and four Baptist churches in west Alabama on Feb. 7. The federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency had made the investigation its top priority, with scores of federal agents joining state and local officers.Federal agents traced tire tracks found at some of the churches to one suspect's parents, who then acknowledged their son was involved.

Five churches were destroyed and four damaged. The fires were mostly set in the sanctuary near the altar. No one was injured in any of the fires.


The Burt & Kurt Show website gives some information on the three suspects. http://burtandkurt.com/