safety
South Carolina man who set fire to Georgia church claims Bible verse inspired him
By Kimberly Wright at WSB-TV (ABC) - News
· July 10, 2026
· 2 min read
A South Carolina man now knows how long he will have to spend behind bars after setting fire to a church in middle Georgia in 2024.The man claimed that a verse in the Bible led him to burn the church.Luke Andrew Westefeld, 35, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to 60 months in prison...
Key takeaway Luke Andrew Westefeld, 35, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release July 9.
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Category: safety ·
Published: July 10, 2026 ·
Source: WSB-TV (ABC) - News ·
Reading time: 2 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A South Carolina man now knows how long he will have to spend behind bars after setting fire to a church in middle Georgia in 2024.The man claimed that a verse in the Bible led him to burn the church.Luke Andrew Westefeld, 35, of North Augusta, South Carolina, was sentenced to 60 months in prison...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 10, 2026 by WSB-TV (ABC) - News and curated for The Atlanta readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Kimberly Wright at WSB-TV (ABC) - News. To learn more about how The Atlanta selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Atlanta, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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