Brothers of St. Louis lawyer charged with trying to burn down University City home | Law and order
UNIVERSITY CITY — The brother of a St. Louis-area lawyer was charged Sunday with trying to burn down the lawyer’s University City home.
John C. Christmas, 49, of St. Louis, was charged with one count of first-degree attempted arson. Jerryl Christmas, a St. Louis-based lawyer, confirmed that his brother came to his house about 2 am in an attempt to burn it down.
According to charging documents and Jerryl Christmas, John Christmas sent threatening text messages to his brother that included threats to burn down his brother’s home in the 900 block of Jeanerette Drive in University City.
About 2 am Sunday, John Christmas filled a 5-gallon gas tank, scaled a ladder to the roof of his brother’s house and doused gasoline on the roof, charges and Jerryl Christmas said. Jerryl Christmas said he was awake at the time because his brother, who for years has suffered from bipolar disorder