YORK COUNTY, S.C. -- The York County Sheriff's Office has arrested two people in connection with an arson case from June of 2009 at Pak's Martial Arts Center in Rock Hill.
Detectives arrested Robert Allen Lester Jr., 26, and his girlfriend Catherine Paige Neal, 24, and charged them with second degree arson, second degree burglary and criminal conspiracy.
The case was closed for clerical purposes in 2011, but never fully concluded. Detectives never gave up, receiving a tip in May 2018 about the possibility of Lester and Neal being involved.
“We are thankful we can finally give Grand Master Pak and his family some good news and closure of a tragedy from so long ago,” said Sheriff Kevin Tolson.
“This case shows that no matter how small of an information tip is, any and all information is important to solving a case. Cold cases are never closed and our Detectives never give up on any case as long as there is information to follow up on and leads to pursue," Tolson said.
Both Lester and Neal are awaiting bond hearings in the York County Detention Center.
