MACON, Ga. – A South Carolina Man who maliciously set fire to a church in Byron, Georgia, was sentenced to prison today.Luke Andrew Westefeld, 35, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 9 by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell after he pleaded guilty to one count of malicious use of fire on April 6. There is no parole in the federal system.“Setting fire to a house of worship is a deeply destructive act in a community,” said U.S. Attorney William R.
“Will” Keyes. “By working together with local, state, and federal law enforcement, we will hold offenders accountable for these grievous crimes.”“The act of setting fire to a place of worship is not just an attack on a building, it’s an assault on the community's spirit,” said ATF Atlanta’s Resident Agent in Charge Robert W. Davis. “We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice is served.”“This case was solved thanks to the crucial assistance provided to us by our law enforcement partners at ATF, GBI, the State Fire Marshals, and the Centerville Police Department,” said Byron Police Chief Wesley Cannon.
“We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia for their diligence in securing the guilty plea. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together for a successful outcome, and we know the citizens of Byron appreciate everyone's efforts.”According to court documents and statements in court, Westefeld approached a few Byron United Methodist Church (now Byron Heritage Church) members who were standing in the church’s parking lot on West Heritage Boulevard in Byron after their choir practice on Aug. 20, 2024. Westefeld asked for water, which the women declined, telling officers they were concerned about their safety.Later that night, Westefeld broke into the church and became upset when he saw unlit candlesticks on the altar.
Westefeld believed the candlesticks should remain lit through the night. He said he noticed that the Bible on the pulpit was opened to Ezekiel 24:21, which spoke of the desecration of the sanctuary due to sin. Westefeld took it as a sign for him to burn the Church. Westefeld lit the candlesticks and burned the American and Methodist flags in the sanctuary.Westefeld then went to the Church office next to the sanctuary and found cash and checks.
Westefeld said his “anger level reached a 10” because he believed the money should be deposited in a bank. Westefeld took the cash for himself. He then saw food in the office pantry and became even more enraged, believing it should be given to the poor. For these reasons, Westefeld set the Church’s office on fire.Westefeld then stole a plastic gas can from a nearby home, planning to siphon gasoline out of the Church’s van to use as an accelerant.
The van was parked and locked behind the Church. Westefeld was unable to retrieve the gasoline, so he stuffed his white shirt in the gas cap of the van and set it on fire.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Fire Marshals, and the Byron Police Department investigated the case, along with assistance from the Centerville Police Department and the GBI.Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch prosecuted the case for the Government.