By: Russ Latino and Daniel Tyson, Magnolia Tribune
Caution tape and flowers cover the entrance to the Beth Israel Congregation, a synagogue that was set on fire early Saturday morning, on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Sophie Bates)
On Monday, Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, appeared via Zoom from a hospital bed, for his initial court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Pittman is charged with arson of property involved in interstate commerce for allegedly setting the building that houses the Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life on fire.
His hands were bandaged from burn injuries allegedly sustained when he lit the blaze that destroyed large portions of Jackson’s only synagogue and the largest Jewish house of worship in Mississippi. Located on Old Canton Road in Jackson, Beth Israel has served as home for the capital city’s Jewish population since 1860.
When asked if he understood the charges against him, Pittman told Magistrate Judge Andrew S. Harris, “yes, Jesus Christ is Lord.”
More details have emerged through court filings on the government’s case against Pittman and what may have motivated him.
The Government’s Case Against Pittman in Beth Israel Fire
The criminal complaint filed against Pittman contained an affidavit from FBI special agent Nicholas Amiano, detailing the government’s probable cause. Life360 map data linked to Pittman’s cell phone showed him traveling, in the predawn hours of January 10, 2026, from his residence in Madison County to Mac’s Gas in Ridgeland, before proceeding to Beth Israel.
(The full affidavit link is below).
While there, Pittman texted his father a picture of the back of Beth Israel, explaining “[t]here’s a furnace in the back.” He also offered some detail of how he attempted to conceal himself, saying “btw my plate is off,” “hoodie is on,” and “they have the best cameras.”
Surveillance camera at Beth Israel Congregation captured a figure in hoodie pouring liquid from what appeared to be a gas can.
The fire was reported at approximately 3 a.m. Later that morning Pittman text his family from a different cell phone number advising them to text it instead and saying “other phone mia not coming back.”
In the daylight, Pittman’s father observed burns on Pittman’s ankles, hands and face, and confronted him. Pittman “laughed as he told his father” he broke a window of the Beth Israel Congregation, “went inside, and lit it on fire,” adding “he finally got them.”
Pittman went to the hospital to receive treatment for the burns to his body. A Snapchat picture taken from an account labeled “Spencer” began circulated at St. Joe’s Catholic School on Monday, where Pittman graduated from high school in 2024. It showed a man, who appears to be Pittman, in a hospital bed with burns to his hand.
Pittman’s father eventually contacted the FBI and relayed that his son had confessed to setting the building on fire. In an interview with the FBI, Jackson Fire Department and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office Saturday night, Pittman admitted to starting the fire at Beth Israel because of its “Jewish ties” and called the building “the synagogue of Satan.”
According to the FBI, he also corroborated the Life360 map data and the texts sent to his father, explaining he purchased gas at Mac’s Gas, took his license plate off, broke a window out at Beth Israel, poured the gasoline in the building, and then lit it on fire using a torch lighter.
A still shot from survellaince video taken from inside of Beth Israel showed a man in a hoodie creeping through the building pouring liquid from what appeared to be a gas can. A burned cell phone and a torch lighter were discovered on scene.
Pittman’s Use of Phrase “Synagogue of Satan” May Provide Insight into Motive for Beth Israel Fire
In the book of Revelation, there are two references to assemblies of adversaries, often translated into English from the original Greek as “synagogue of Satan.” The passages specifically refer to Jewish groups in Smyrna and Philadelphia that were persecuting early Christian, labeling them as “false Jews.”
In the last Century, this rather obscure phraseology has been co-opted by a range of white supremacist and anti-semitic groups to describe all Jewish people. Louis Farrakhan popularized it within the nation of Islam. In more recent years, “far right” anti-Israel provocateurs have adopted its use.
Nick Fuentes, who has been mainstreamed by former Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, is a Holocaust denier who has praised Hitler as being “awesome.” In a 2020 rally speech, Fuentes said:
“We have the president of the United States standing up to the banks, standing up to the mainstream media, standing up to the big tax and spend Democrats and the Synagogue of Satan.”
Fuentes has become popular among a fringe of predominately young, white males. His X account has 1.2 million followers and his videos often attract millions of views.
Candace Owens used the phrase “synagogue of Satan” in late 2025 to refer to people she claims are orchestrating “lies, bullying, getting people to write articles, smearing, and libeling,” specifically in a dispute with conservative Jewish commentator Ben Shapiro.
While Pittman’s social media presence is largely benign, featuring an assortment of baseball posts, workout supplements and references to his Christian faith, there are some anti-semitic posts, including an Instagram post a day prior to the fire.
In that post, a cartoon made to approximate Spongebob Squarepants plays on common tropes used by anti-semitic people against Jews. The cartoon figure is holding two bags of money, wearing a “Star of David” necklace. A woman comes out and exclaims “there’s a Jew in our backyard! I can’t believe my “Jewcrow” didn’t work.” The camera pans to a scarecrow waiter with a portfolio that reads “TIPS PLEASE.” The woman kicks the cartoon in a pool and says “you’re getting baptized right now.”
Trump Administration Strongly Condemns Pittman in Beth Israel Fire Case
The next court appearance is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Jan. 20. Assistant US Attorney Pat Allen said the government requests “detention” until the trial. Pittman, who graduated from high school and had three semesters of college, was appointed a federal Public Defender based on his finances.
“This disgusting act of anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country, and unlike the prior administration, this Department of Justice will not let anti-Semitism fester and flourish,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I have directed my prosecutors to seek severe penalties for this heinous act and remain deeply committed to protecting Jewish Americans from hatred.”
“Every American has a fundamental right to live and worship free from violence and fear,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI will never waver in our mission to protect Jewish communities from targeted anti-Semitic attacks and will work to hold accountable anyone who engages in these types of violent acts.”
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi said, “This hateful, anti-Semitic attack on the Beth Israel Congregation is disturbing and unacceptable. Mississippians may rest assured that my office will not stand idly by when violence and intimidation threaten our community. We will seek the most serious charges warranted by the evidence and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. We remain fully committed to standing with Jewish Americans and protecting our communities from hatred and harm.”
Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office said, “Houses of worship are sacred. Citizens of Mississippi of all faiths and backgrounds have the right to worship free of violence and intimidation. The heinous actions of Stephen Spencer Pittman, which allegedly sought to destroy the Beth Israel synagogue, will not be tolerated. While Mr. Pittman acted alone, FBI Jackson will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable those who seek to infringe on the rights of Americans. The FBI is committed to protecting all places of worship and delivering justice for our communities. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities that could represent a threat to public safety.”