OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) – Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas is finally making a comeback after convicted arsonist, Holden Matthews, burned it and two other historically black churches in 2019.
Matthews burned down Greater Union Baptist Church on April 2nd, 2019. Matthews also burnt down St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church on March 26th, 2019 and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church on April 4th, 2019. Matthews was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
News 10 spoke with a longtime member of the church, Sheryl Richard, who says hearing the news of the building being destroyed by the fire was heart wrenching.
Holden Matthews sentenced to 25 years, owes $2.6 million for burning three Black churches
“It was a very heartbreaking, heart wrenching moment for us, receiving a call at two thirty, three o’clock in the morning knowing that our building had been engulfed in flames,” said Richard…