Salt Lake City, USA - An LDS church member who claims the Mormon church lied to him was charged Thursday with aggravated arson for allegedly setting fire to two LDS meetinghouses last week.
The two first-degree felony charges were filed against 26-year-old Patrick Adam Ehat in 3rd District Court.
Ehat admitted to investigators he broke into the meetinghouses through windows on Oct. 30 and set the fires because the church had lied to him, the charging documents state. His specific complaints were not mentioned.
A South Salt Lake Fire Department investigator determined that an accelerant was used to start the fire at the church near 3200 South and 300 East, charging documents state. The accelerant was placed on the sacrament table, the podium, an organ and a piano in the chapel.
The same investigator concluded an accelerant was used to start a fire at an LDS meetinghouse near 2700 South and Main Street. That blaze started on a couch, charging documents state.
South Salt Lake firefighters put out the two blazes Saturday morning. The first fire started about 3:30 a.m. Damage was reported to exceed $1 million.
Three hours later, firefighters were called to the LDS church at 2702 S. Main. The fire there caused minor smoke and water damage to the building.
Police said that Ehat had injuries consistent with climbing through a broken window. Police believe he acted alone.
Ehat also is charged with two third-degree felony counts of burglary.