Man Arrested for Vandalizing Historic Dallas Church

Detectives say they found the man who allegedly caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to an historic Dallas church.

Police arrested 24-year-old Jessie Garcia Monday afternoon. He's been charged with a first-degree felony, and he remains in jail.

Police said Garcia is the man caught on church surveillance video throwing bricks through the stained glass windows at the Mount Olive Lutheran Church on Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Garcia confessed while on his way to jail Monday, police said.

Church members say they're relieved, but they want more answers.

Mount Olive Church has stood in the shadows of Fair Park for generations. And for nearly 50 years, it's been the bedrock of faith for Vetia Smith and her family.

"I've been a member here since 1968. My son was baptized here. My two grandchildren were baptized here," she said.

Smith was devastated two weeks ago when she saw, first, the damage and then the surveillance video showing a mysterious vandal throwing bricks through about a dozen historic stained-glass windows.

"I try to be compassionate, I try to be understanding, but it's real hard to understand how someone could do that," she said.

Police said over the weekend Garcia allegedly returned to the church with a brick and threw it at a window. Church members called police.

Detectives were able to track Garcia down at a nearby house and they arrested him Monday afternoon.

Police said Garcia confessed to smashing the windows because he was angry after a fight on the bus, and he wanted to "destroy something valuable."

"It was simply a target of opportunity. He was mad and wanted to break things. It's sad," said Dallas Police Sgt. Rodrick Dillon.

Dillon said even after more than 30 years with the police department, he's still affected by crimes against houses of worship.

"I've always thought there was a special place for people who break into churches, steal things from churches, destroy church property, vandalize it," Dillon said. "There's a special place for them."

The church will make repairs, but Smith is still angry about the damage that can't be fixed.

"Anger that someone could destroy a church in that manner," Smith said. "Anger that someone did not have enough respect for the Lord's house to keep it holy."

Dillon said he's relieved they were able to solve the case, but he, too, wants more answers.

"Because it was such a random act, I still feel bad for the church," he said. "There was no reason, not even in his own mind, and that makes me sad."

Police estimate all the damage to the 100-year-old windows at more than $200,000.

Garcia is charged with first-degree felony criminal mischief, a charge that can carry a sentence of 20 years or more.

NBC 5 asked Garcia for a jailhouse interview but he has not responded.