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February 21, 2010 · Since the start of the year, 11 churches in East Texas were set on fire. The churches were not linked with a theme. They served different denominations and racial communities.
Officials say they’ve arrested the two men suspected of those combustible crimes. 19-year-old Jason Robert Bourque and 21-year-old Daniel George McAllister are charged with five counts of felony arson. Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety say they don’t have a motive for arson and that investigation is still ongoing.
During last few weeks, the wave of arson created an atmosphere of fear in East Texas with individuals taking turns standing guard over their churches. DPS Spokesperson Tela Mange says, “At this point we feel confident that they can be comfortable that their churches are safe. Obviously they need to keep an eye out. But we are very please that we were able to bring this to a close.”
One of the suspects, Jason Bourque has a MySpace page which when last updated on February 11 listed his mood as amused. He has quotes posted from Nietzsche and the Bible and he has a link to a page filled with images of burning bonfires.
Mange says the case was finally cracked with the help of a tip. “They gave us information that we were able to follow up on and determine that “yes” that was an accurate piece of information that had been provided.”
If Bourque and McAllister are convicted, the tipster will get a $25,000 reward. Mange says it's worth it to keep Texas churches safe from arson.
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