Morrison County Church Destroyed In Apparent Arson, $5K Reward Offered
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A $5,000 reward is being offered after a 124-year-old Lutheran church in Morrison County was destroyed in a fire that officials believe was intentionally set.
The sheriff's office says deputies received a call of a fire at the Darling Church, located on Highway 10 near Randall, just after 3:15 a.m.
Upon arrival, deputies found the church engulfed in flames.
Randall firefighters assisted the deputies, and were able to keep the fire from spreading into the woods. However, the church was a total loss.
While the wood frame church had been vacant for decades, it was well known in mystery lore. Many thought the church was haunted after a young girl was murdered there in the early 1900s.
"It has a lot of lure, and there's a lot of people that still believe in all that, and, you know, there's all kind of rumors around," said Randall Fire Chief Scott Hughson.
Even though the church was no longer used for worship, its adjoining cemetery was still being cared for.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Morrison County Sheriff's Office at 320-632-9233 or the Minnesota Arson Reward Project at 1-800-723-2020.
