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Marcus Taylor

Police: Church Arsonist Arrested

Man Set Fire To 1 Church, Burglarized Another, Officers Say

POSTED: 11:04 am MST January 14, 2009
UPDATED: 3:38 pm MST January 14, 2009

A 19-year-old Mesa resident was arrested Tuesday and accused of setting fire to Epiphany Lutheran Church and burglarizing the Greater Phoenix Chinese Christian Church, Chandler police said.

Marcus Taylor was booked on charges of arson, burglary and aggravated criminal damage.

Taylor first burglarized the Greater Phoenix Chinese Christian Church on Nov. 23, stealing a cymbal, snare and pedal for a bass drum, said Detective David Ramer of the Chandler Police Department.

After stealing the instruments, Taylor forced his way into the Epiphany Lutheran Church, Ramer said. Once inside, he set fire to the church, then fled, leaving behind the stolen instruments, Ramer said.

A forensic identification technician was able to obtain latent fingerprints left by the burglar on the cymbal, Ramer said. The print was traced to Taylor, Ramer said.

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