Two Lockney High Sophomores Arrested for Arson
By: Lisa Carr
Updated: January 16, 2009
Two 15-year-old Lockney High School students are in custody tonight accused of setting the fire that destroyed Lockney High School. Floyd County Sheriff Paul Raissez says they took the two girls into custody after witnesses said they saw them Sunday night attempting to start the fire. He says one of the girls admits to starting two separate fires with paper towels, one on the first floor near the entrance, the other on the second floor. Raissez says the other girl started a trash fire outside the school. Now, the girls are in the Garza County Detention Center. The damage to the school is estimated around $6 to $7 million dollars.
Sheriff Raissez says the main suspect has an interesting reason for starting the fire inside the school, but students and teachers we spoke with on Tuesday say they don't believe the motive.
Raissez says, "She wanted a new school, new books, new computers. She thought Lockney ISD would get help from the government and grants and federal funding to help make this a better school." Sophomore Abby Garza says, "Our books are new so, I don't believe why she would want that. I mean our school ... it's not perfect, but it's perfect for us."
