By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX –
Court records indicate one of the suspects arrested on an arson charge in the burning of churches in East Texas had assault rifles and books on demons and atheism in his home.
Investigators also say 19-year-old Jason Bourque left graffiti in the bathroom stall of a ranch store. The Dallas Morning News reports Wednesday that court documents say Bourque carved an upside-down cross topped by flames into the bathroom wall, along with the words "Little Hope was Arson."
Little Hope Baptist Church was the first of 11 churches that were torched in what authorities believe was an arson spree.
Bourque and 21-year-old Daniel George McAllister were arrested and charged Sunday with a single felony arson charge.
Attorneys are not commenting publicly because of a gag order.
Toyota: Planned Temple plant will still be built
Toyota's troubles will not keep a vehicle processing plant planned for Temple from being built.
City and company officials say the project has been put on hold but that Toyota still intends to build the plant despite its ongoing recall of more than 6 million vehicles.
But Michael Owen, a vice president at Gulf States Toyota, told the Temple Daily Telegram that the company could not commit to a timeline for construction of the plant, which would employ about 240 workers.
The plant would add accessories to Toyota vehicles and get them ready for delivery to dealerships throughout a five-state area. Construction had been expected to begin last year.
Guns missing from Cleveland police evidence room
A federal investigation is under way to determine whether some 500 weapons missing from a police department's evidence room are part of an illegal firearms-trafficking scheme.
The guns were discovered missing from the Cleveland Police Department's evidence room during an inventory last year, the Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives declined to discuss the probe, saying it is an ongoing investigation.
Court records show ATF agents recovered 112 of the missing guns while executing a search warrant at a Humble gun shop.