Arrest Made After Jesus Statue Vandalized at Flint Church

(Smith County, Texas) An arrest has been made in connection with the vandalization of a Smith County church statue on September 7.

We first reported this incident on September 10, just days after it happened. The Smith County Sheriff's office had been called out to St. Mary Magdalene Church on Old Jacksonville Highway in Flint early Sunday morning because parishioners had noticed that the statue of Jesus Christ had been vandalized.

Surveillance Video Captures Suspect

The statue that stands in front of the church had its nose and hands broken off during the vandalism. According to the sheriff's office, someone used a hammer or some other tool to knock off the hands and nose of the statue around 1:14 a.m. Sunday morning. The incident was captured on surveillance video, and it showed a white male in a black shirt and black shorts walking up to the statue and beginning to deface it.

After the damage had been done, the video shows the suspect walking away on foot down County Road 1299.

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Charges and Bond Information

Law enforcement began working the case and quickly identified Jordan Clark, 36, of Flint, as a suspect. An arrest warrant was issued on the grounds of Criminal Mischief Place of Worship, which is a state jail felony.

Clark was arrested at his residence in the 18500 block of Old Jacksonville Highway without incident. He was booked into the Smith County Jail, where his bond was set at $400,000.

As far as a motive, CBS 19 reports the suspect's father telling investigators that he is a 'worshipper of Satan' and that he denounced Christianity several years ago and has adopted satanic beliefs. Clark is believed to have schizophrenia and apparently refuses to take his medication, according to the report.

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Church Left to Repair Statue

Now it's up to the church to repair the religious statue.