Pastor and Son Charged in 2005 Church Arson

Three individuals are headed to court this week after a fire set to a church five years ago eventually uncovered arson and insurance fraud.  The former pastor of New Life Deliverance Church Ministries, Quincy Arnold has been charged with setting fire to the church where he preached.  Also being charged are his alleged accomplices, Quincy’s son, Maurice Arnold and Edward Smith of Monroe. 

According to the Athens Banner-Herald, Quincy, 50, of Lawrenceville hired his son, Maurice to help burn down the church and then Maurice hired 48 year-old Edward Smith of Monroe to assist and cash in on the insurance policy.

“Smith and Maurice Arnold physically burned down the church shortly before 4 a.m. Dec. 7, 2005, according to the version of events laid out in a September 2009 indictment.’ 

“The arsonists kicked in the church door and poured gasoline down the center aisle from the pulpit to the back of the church, investigators said. The blaze gutted the secluded church’s sanctuary before firefighters arrived, but its exterior was not heavily damaged.” 

Arnold was quoted trying to connect the fire to a string of arson cases that involved similar rural churches in Alabama: 

“We’re quite fearful of rebuilding, to a degree,” then-pastor Quincy Arnold said at the time. “We don’t know if they’ll come right back and do it again. Nevertheless, we’re going to rebuild.” 

After an investigation by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it was determined that the similar out-of-state fires could be ruled out as a possibility and all three suspects were eventually arrested for various charges including first-degree arson, vandalizing a place of worship and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. 

All three men face a range of charges including first-degree arson, vandalizing a place of worship, conspiracy to commit arson and insurance fraud.  If convicted, the former pastor of New Life Deliverance Church Ministries could be facing significant time behind bars. 

The good news is that while New Life apparently dissolved in 2008, the parishioners, along with a new pastor, managed to purchase the property and the new church (The Church @ Pierce Road) is thriving.