ASulphur man was charged last week with second degree arson in a fire that damaged Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the charging documents, Ethan Hunter Vanderburg, 24, was arrested on the scene of the fire, at 52 Shepherd of the Hills Rd., west of Sulphur, after admitting to authorities he set the blaze.
According to the affidavit, Murray County Deputy Alan McKay was on the fire scene assisting responding fire departments about 10:20 a.m. on October 12 when he was approached by a man, later identified as Vanderburg, who asked if he could tell him something.
When McKay told him to go ahead, Vanderburg said, “The voices were talking s--- to me and I could not take it and I burned the Church down,” according to the affidavit. Vanderburg repeated his claim to Sulphur Fire Chief Pete Haines, who was on the scene directing firefighting efforts. It was at that point Haines advised McKay to detain Vanderburg until an agent of the State Fire Marshal’s office could arrive to further interrogate the suspect, authorities said.
Portions of the church sustained major damage before responders from the Sulphur and Davis Fire Departments were able to extinguish the blaze, said Sulphur Assistant Fire Chief Tracy Laxton.
State fire investigator Judah Sheppard said in the affidavit there were multiple areas of fire origin in the building with various degrees of involvement and damage, including the southwest meeting rooms, the sanctuary stage area, the family room and in the foyer/greeting area.
He said all accidental ignition sources of the fire were ruled out and it was his determination that the fire was due to “open-flame ignition source through human action” from “available, wood stick matches.”
Sheppard said in the affidavit that a witness and church member reported that he was at the property several days before the fire and ensured all doors and windows were closed and secured.
The agent also reported that responding firefighters observed that a south back door glass had been broken, allowing for access in to unlock the door.
Vanderburg was taken to Murray County Jail and charged on October 15. A $5,000 cash bond was set.
