Crime

Man Admits to Burning Church Down as ‘Revenge’ for Alleged Assault

Donald Lee Williams is finding himself in a heap of trouble after being charged with setting fire to the South Bloomingville Christian Church earlier this month. According to authorities, Williams confessed to the crime and he was subsequently charged with arson on Tuesday.

Investigators with the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office claim that the 36-year-old set the church on fire by throwing a rock through the window and then lighting a curtain on fire with a lighter. WOUB News has more:

According to Division of State Fire Marshal Spokesman Shane Cartmill, Donald Williams, 36, of South Bloomingville, was arrested on a probation violation charge a week ago.
When Hocking County sheriff’s detectives interviewed Williams Tuesday morning, he made comments implicating himself in the arson fire of the Bloomingville Christian Church on August 17.
The fire completely destroyed the building.

“Our suspect, Mr. Williams, admitted to the arson,” Sheriff Lanny North told 10TV.com.  “He did not implicate anyone else other than himself.”

The disturbing act was purportedly done as an act of criminal revenge after Williams told authorities that he was assaulted by an individual affiliated with the church in June 2011. North went on to say that the act wasn’t as much of a hate crime as it was a “revenge crime” — a response to the purported act that occurred more than one year ago.

Previously, Bishop Scott Davis told 10TV News that the fire was hate-based. It was suspected, according to some reports, that church officials had suspected that the house of worship’s support for gays, lesbians and transgendered peoples was the root cause of the attack. Athens News previously added:

The Rev. Scott Davis says he has no doubt that the destruction of his Hocking Hills area church early last Friday was a malicious act related to the fact that the church welcomes gays and lesbians.

“It’s a hate crime,” he declared in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “In April we received death threats.”

Williams is currently being held at Hocking County Jail on $500,000 bond. The church was insured for $300,000 and Davis claims that parishioners plan to rebuild.

(H/T: 10TV.com)

Comments (20)

  • EllisonCullen
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 12:03am

    The guy (the Bishop) is even an exorcist/demonologist! http://www.centralohioparanormalresearchgroup.com/Members.html

    One of the members from that ghost hunting group said Scott Davis claims he went to Lutheran Seminary. I do not know how he got from there to being a Catholic bishop. It makes me concerned for people who are letting him in their house with the ghost group. Is he really who he says he is?

    Report Post »  
  • predator-stopper
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 12:54pm

    This “Bishop” (no, he is really not a DR, REV, Bishop, Catholic) is my neighbor of 2 years. He is a pure predator. He has harassed me for 2 years and no one will do anything about it unless I would beat his stupid ass into the ground and then it’d be a hate crime. He started trying to solicit me since the day I moved in to the Selkirk Bay apartments. Scott is a sick s o b. He is nothing but a scam. He lies more than any person I have ever met, is a sociopath and a predator. He was charged with kidnapping and rape in 06 (i think it was 06) but since the ashamed vic didnt want the embarrassment of court, all charges were dropped. Nice huh? He has had my truck towed, made all kinds of false claims with the CPD and again, they do nothing. He pulled a gun on me, cops did nothing. He has even offered my friends money, drugs, booze, clothes and other things in trade for sex. The guy is fake, No other way to put it. So here, think about this, A bishop (which there is only one in cbus) has to be 35, a dr has to attend college and earn a PHD, (which he has never went to college), A Priest doesnt own the church and it wouldnt be called a CHRISTIAN church, A priest has to be ordained, (Rev Rapist was not) Ok well I can go on for pages, look his face book up, Scott Bishop Davis. It is super creepy. Then google South Bloomingville Christian Church and go to his website, very creepy to see the devil in a “Pope Costume”. Or type in his name on mugshotsonline.com, franklin county public

    Report Post »  
    • predator-stopper
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:41pm

      Just to add…. this reporter was at my house for over an hour and I told her all about the pred and of course, nothing was aired but some dumb **** talking like an imbred hick. And BTW, Im from the deep country. but leave it to the media to find the dumbest yokel they can to interview,, scott and the dumb redneck

      Report Post »  
  • CeCee Davila
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:15am

    I said all along this was more about revenge, than any hate crime… Just one question? How can you be a bishop when you never went to seminary school… And the bishops criminal record says it all.. Charges in 2006 for kidnapping and rape… I know mr scott davis, he will take the money and run

    Report Post »  
    • predator-stopper
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:07pm

      Easy. U just call yourself what you want and even post apartment manager on your door. you know, call the cops when a citizen comes to take a friend to the food pantry, comes to say hi,. or you just go around and kidnap people, rape them and victimize young boys, harass your neighbors, be a pathological liar, mmmmm well thats how scott e davis became a Bishop. hell, he didnt even have to go to seminary or meet the age requirement or criminal background check. Damn I guess I can be a Surgeon Pastor pope. and the resident advisor here at the same apartment complex

      Report Post »  
  • Larry E
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 3:42pm

    Why is it that everything is a “hate crime” anymore? It seems to me that if someone burns down your building or attacks you or robs you that they didn’t do it because they loved you or your group. A crime is a crime.

    The arsonist sounds like he’s got at least a couple screws loose, and might well be put away someplace safe without matches, lighters, sharp objects, and pretty much everything else.

    Report Post »  
    • predator-stopper
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:09pm

      how do you know he has a screw loose and wasnt a real victim that the law did nothing to help him? dont be so quick to judge.

      Report Post »  
  • YellowFin
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 2:36pm

    There can be no good outcome for a church/congregation that accepts and tolerates unrepentant sin.

    Report Post » YellowFin  
  • Charybdis
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 2:10pm

    I would really like to know more about the nature of the assault a year ago. I think that point could be very enlightening to this story.

    Report Post »  
    • Taquoshi
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:56pm

      Interesting that the first thing out of the “bishop’s” mouth was about the GLBT community.

      ****
      The Rev. Scott Davis says he has no doubt that the destruction of his Hocking Hills area church early last Friday was a malicious act related to the fact that the church welcomes gays and lesbians.

      “It’s a hate crime,” he declared in an interview Tuesday afternoon. “In April we received death threats.

      ****
      He has “no doubt”? It must be nice to be so sure. There’s more to this story, that’s what I am sure of.

      Report Post » Taquoshi  
  • Wool-Free Vision
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:00am

    I’ll bet you a Chick-Fil-A lunch that Donald Lee Williams is gay, and the June 2011 assault was a lovers’ quarrel between himself and the “church affiliate” he implicated. Any takers?

    Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
    • predator-stopper
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:03pm

      Well knowing the “Bishop” scott davis, you have a bet. This guy drugs people by spiking drinks (yeah he has admited it to me but that’s hear say) he has kidnapped and raped a young man in Franklin county ohio. He has harassed me for 2 years now and NO I am not gay. actually I am happily married to a woman and we are about to have a baby. I cant stand the pedophile, predator piece of crap. I dont go around throwing accusations but Scott Davis is a sick sick thing. I do not class him as human, I believe NO sex offender is human. So anyway, before people condemme the Williams guy, why have the police never done anything about Scott E Davis? he has pulled a gun on me, called the CPD on me multiple times. he is always outside video taping us and me specially, I have filed complaints and they will not file charges because its just words and Im a big boy. WTF is that? just to let ya know, Scott is a demon and needs a good stopping. I am working with the justice system because I will not end up in prison over this creep. It’s not worth it. But remember Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy,??????? well add Scott Davis to that list because he is every bit as sick as any of those guys

      Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:41am

    More imaginary hate manufactured by a group nobody really gives a ratsass about…….

    Report Post »  
  • Sara123
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:34am

    So, this is twister. It’s a gay “Christian” church. The gay baiting proud “bishop” claimed it was a hate crime painting normal Christians with the brush of hatred for sodomites.

    Turns out it was a revenge crime for sexual assault committed by a member of the homosexual church.

    You can’t make this stuff up!

    Report Post »  
    • hayesstephen
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:23am

      As with all stories, there is more here than meets the eye. The arsonist is most likely gay and there hangs the tale. No pun intended. I care not if gays want their own church, I care not if gays want to get married, and I care not if gays get married in their church. I DO CARE IF THE WANT TO DO THESE THINGS IN MY CHURCH! What they are pushing for is that NO CHURCH HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY, GAYS WILL NOT BE MARRIED IN OUR CHURCH. Its not enough they will be married, oh no they want to rub it the faces of those who do not want them in our congregation. And please don’t tell me how un Christian I am. If you say I am un Christian than you know nothing of the Holy Word or our Yahweh or Yeshau. You are fatally mistaken if you think for one moment they are right and I am wrong. I pray that no one will go to hell, that everyone will find their way into Paradise. I pray that every American will all ways have the right to Life,Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Please remember that also applies to those who agree or dis agrees with me. I am all about live and let live. Everyone has to find their own relationship with their CREATOR. I pray for peace,love and acceptance. But do not think for a moment that gives you a license to run over my rights and my Yahweh or Yeshua. Yahweh bless and give you peace and happiness, may he allow you to find the love of your life and be faithful to one another. That prayer is for hetro and gay, any color any creed any religion.Live in peace and happine

      Report Post »  
    • shakedowncrews
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:56am

      the article says “he was assaulted by an individual affiliated with the church ” but does not mention sexual assault. where are you getting that from, ordid you just assume it was a sexual assault?

      Report Post » shakedowncrews  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 4:29pm

      If it was a church from hell in support of (let me say the right thing here or the psycho blaze censors will block my post) hohohhomos, the it needed to be burnt down…I think the devel just screwed hinself.

      Report Post »  
  • The Jewish Avenger
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:17am

    oooh revenge crime?

    It’s hate crime new and improved!

    This just in, whites and straights will still be null and void of the revenge crime clause… they’re still considered just haters…

    *roll eyes*

    Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:09am

    Once again the ‘LGBT community” is having a hard time figuring out that they are not the center of the universe.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • WindyDualism
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:29am

      Butt, Butt, Butt… In April? Wouldn’t that just be IRS forms and not factual death threats?

      Report Post »  

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