KNOXVILLE, Tenn — A 29-year-old North Knoxville man is being held on a federal charge alleging he deliberately set a fire at a Central Street church.
Rodney M. Guinn Jr., previously convicted of aggravated statutory rape involving an underage Knoxville girl, set two fires in August 2024 in a basement bathroom at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, authorities allege. He then told two witnesses what he’d done, federal documents state.
Although the arsons happened in 2024, it wasn’t until last year that he was identified, records show. A TN CrimeStoppers flyer was issued in September, leading to the identification of Guinn as the arsonist, records state…