TUCSON, Ariz. — The suspected arsonist who is accused of burning down two historic churches in Douglas earlier this year is now facing hate crime charges due to his alleged motive for damaging the properties.
A federal grand jury has recently indicted 58-year-old Eric Ridenour for six counts of arson, obstructing free exercise of religion, and using fire to commit a federal felony. Prosecutors said the crimes were motivated by hostility toward the "progressive doctrines" of the churches.
The charges stem from a destructive fire reported on May 22 in the historic district of the border town of Douglas. Flames and large plumes of smoke were seen emanating from Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church and the adjacent First Presbyterian Church.
The fire caused the roof of one church to collapse and the structure of the other church was almost completely destroyed, court records show.
Investigators at the scene found a bottle of lighter fluid near the altar of one of the churches, suggesting that the fire was intentionally set.
Surveillance video recovered from a nearby business showed a man in a blue Pontiac Aztec parking near the church shortly before the fire started. Investigators discovered that the only blue Pontiac Aztec registered in Douglas belonged to Ridenour, records show.
A search of Ridenour's residence turned up clothing worn by the man seen in the surveillance footage and a police dog detected a flammable substance on the suspect's pants. Ridenour was taken into custody on May 23.
The defendant was allegedly hostile toward the churches because they had women and members of the LGBTQ community serving as leaders.
"He directed this deeply personal attack on communities of faith that serve as the bedrock for the Douglas community and surrounding areas," prosecutors wrote in court filings. "It is hard to overstate the impact of this crime on the close-knit religious community in southeastern Arizona."
If he's found guilty on the charges in the indictment, Ridenour could be facing a significant prison sentence.