Suspect in LDS fire identified, charged with hate crime

The man arrested for allegedly setting fire Sunday evening to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Cape Girardeau has been charged with a hate crime.

Christopher Pritchard

According to Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Welker, Christopher Pritchard, 45, a homeless Cape Girardeau man, is being charged with first-degree property damage motivated by discrimination in addition to second-degree arson, burglary and felony stealing.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday, multiple crews responded to a fire at the church, 1048 W. Cape Rock Drive, to find the building engulfed in flames, a news release from the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office stated. No one was injured in the fire, but the building was deemed a total loss.

According to a probable-cause statement signed by Sgt. Ed Curtis, the sheriff’s office had received a request for an extra patrol Friday because the church had been having problems with Pritchard, who allegedly threatened to assault a church bishop as well as “burn the church down.”

At approximately 9:55 p.m. Sunday, a motorist flagged Curtis down and told him he and his wife witnessed a man near the church when they had driven by earlier in the evening. The driver also saw the man when he was driving on his way back home from Cape Girardeau, according to the statement. The driver said the man looked suspicious because he was wearing a dark hoodie and jacket and was carrying a large backpack. The driver told Curtis when he saw the church was on fire he suspected it may be the person he had seen previously.

A majority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cape Girardeau, seen Monday, was damaged Sunday night by a three-alarm fire. Sarah Yenesel ~ Southeast Missourian

Another sheriff’s deputy made contact with a witness who said he and his girlfriend saw smoke coming from the church and immediately called the sheriff’s office, Curtis wrote. The witness told officers he saw a man standing behind the apartments near the church wearing similar clothing as described by the other witness.

Curtis located Pritchard approximately a mile and a half away from the church, according to the statement. Pritchard told Curtis he had been at a friend’s house and was walking home. When asked where his friend lived, Pritchard said he didn’t know.

Curtis asked Pritchard if he would be willing to speak to a detective. Pritchard rode to the sheriff’s office unrestrained in Curtis’ front seat, Curtis wrote. Pritchard had allegedly been smoking a cigarette while speaking with Curtis outside the vehicle, but upon entering the car Curtis noticed smoke odor different from that of cigarette smoke.

A majority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cape Girardeau, seen Monday, was damaged Sunday night by a three-alarm fire. Sarah Yenesel ~ Southeast Missourian

Curtis and Pritchard arrived at the sheriff’s office at approximately 10:25 p.m. where the latter was interviewed by detectives, according to the statement Pritchard admitted to making threats to assault the church bishop and burn the church down but denied entering the building or setting the fire. The two detectives also noted a smoke odor coming from Pritchard’s person. Based on his admission of threats, being located near the scene of the alleged crime wearing the same clothes witnesses had described and smelling of smoke, Pritchard was arrested and taken to the booking room.

Following his arrest, Pritchard’s backpack was searched and contained two extension cords, a laptop, a projector, a small set of computer speakers, hand tools, 21 individually bagged red apples that were cold to the touch, a cheese grater and several other unidentified items, Curtis wrote. Three members of the church who filled out voluntary statements were able to identify the contents of Pritchard’s backpack as having belonged to the church. The items were valued at $1,049.99.

One of the church members stated they believed religious bias was a motivating factor in burning the church because Pritchard had called them an “(expletive) Mormon,” and had allegedly said derogatory things about members of the religion.

A majority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cape Girardeau, seen Monday, was damaged Sunday night by a three-alarm fire. Sarah Yenesel ~ Southeast Missourian

In addition to allegedly burning down the church, Pritchard was served a trespass order from Southeast Missouri State University for allegedly harassing students and faculty on campus, communications director Kathy Harper stated Monday.

“The trespass order stems from complaints by faculty, staff and students, and negative interactions with university police officers,” Harper’s statement read. “Members of the university community are encouraged to immediately reach out to University Police at (573) 651-2911 if they experience any type of harassment or observe suspicious persons on campus.”

Pritchard is being held at the Cape Girardeau County Jail on a no-bond warrant.