ROCK HILL, S.C. – Officials have answers for Rock Hill’s Pak Martial Arts Center.

  • The case went cold in 2011
  • There are no hate crime laws in South Carolina
  • They were charged for the graffiti found on the building

The York County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged Robert Lester, Jr. and Catherine Neal with arson, burglary and criminal conspiracy surrounding the June 2009 fire at the studio. There are no hate crime laws on the books in South Carolina. Federal investigators could only charge the two suspects for racist graffiti found on the building.

A tip may have led investigators to the pair. The case went cold in 2011 for administrative reasons.

“But [it] was never forgotten and continually worked by detectives at the sheriff’s office here,” Kevin Tolson with the York County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Pak family was able to rebuild and grow after the fire, but admitted it was hard to shake the notion that whoever did it was still out there.

“Who, when, why? It really messes with your psyche,” said Daniel Pak, owner of the business.

As to how they’ve managed the strength to persevere, despite a lot of mystery around the arson, Pak credits the nearly four decades of support from the Rock Hill community, plus some lessons they teach their students, too. 

“Five tenets of martial arts is courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable, spirit. Just keep pushing yourself, don’t let anything destroy you,” he said.

It’s that support that made authorities' resolve even stronger to ensure justice could be served for Daniel and his father, Grandmaster Pak.

“That’s what makes it more special to be able to let him know an arrest has been made,” he said.

 

 

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