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Thursday, December 25, 1997

Texans rewarded for information in 1996 church fire

By JUAN B. ELIZONDO Jr. / Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) -- Richard Miller and Jerry Shawn Scott say they told investigators their friend and another man set a fire that burned down the Macedonia Baptist Church in Ferris because it was the right thing to do.

On Tuesday, Miller and Scott were rewarded for the information they provided. Charlotte, N.C.-based NationsBank gave both men checks for $10,000 as rewards in helping to convict Robert Stillman and Randall Moore of arson.

Scott said Stillman was his best friend before the March fire at the 100-year-old church, which has a predominantly black-member congregation, south of Dallas.

"He walked up to me and ... (Miller) and said it was done. They burned it down," Scott said. "I thought he had more sense than that."

Scott added that Stillman indicated the arson was racially motivated.

Miller said federal arson investigators contacted him after the fire because he and Scott were seen with Stillman and Moore shortly after the fire, which destroyed the church.

"I just told them what he said," Miller said.

Stillman and Moore pleaded guilty to setting the fire in U.S. district court earlier this year. Stillman was sentenced in July to five years in prison. Moore's sentence was five years and 10 months in prison.

Since 1995, federal, state and local arson officials have investigated more than 350 suspicious church fires. More than 130 people have been arrested in connection with 97 of those fires and investigations continue.

"These outrageous and intolerable crimes stirred our conscience," said Tim Arnoult, president of NationsBank Southwest. "We felt the impact from these acts because 45 of the church burnings occurred throughout the communities in 10 of the states that we serve."

The Rev. Samuel Hargers, pastor of Macedonia Baptist, said his congregation of 45 to 50 people has been meeting in the home of a Ferris couple. He added that reconstruction of the church is scheduled to begin next year.

Arnoult said Miller and Scott are the first people to get rewards because theirs was the first information from the public that has led to the conviction of church-burning arsonists. He said additional rewards could be made as other cases are completed.

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Editors Note: Anyone with information regarding a civil rights-related church fire can call the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at (888) 283-3473.