UPDATE: 1:20 P.M.
The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office has identified the suspect in the fire at The Church of the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Deputies arrested 45-year-old Christopher Scott Pritchard. He is now being charged with property damage in the first degree - Hate Crime, arson, burglary and stealing.
Pritchard is being held at the Cape Girardeau County Justice Center with no bond and this case is still being actively investigated.
East County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Randy Lueder said no one was inside of the church at the time of the time.
Chief Lueder said mostly the building will smoke for several days and a fence will be erected to help keep people safe.
The FBI and ATF have also been called in.
ORIGINAL STORY
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (WSIL) -- A suspect is in custody in connection with a fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cape Girardeau.
The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office was called out along with numerous fire crews to 1048 W. Cape Rock Drive around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 18 and found the church engulfed in flames.
It is being investigated as arson and the State Fire Marshal has been called to the scene.
No injuries have been reported.
