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| The Mayor of Parma, Missouri, Left Office. Then Her House and City Hall Caught Fire. | |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| A mystery is gripping Parma, Mo., a tiny agricultural city of about 700 people in the southeast corner of the state, with a convenience store, a restaurant and some farm-related businesses at its center. | A mystery is gripping Parma, Mo., a tiny agricultural city of about 700 people in the southeast corner of the state, with a convenience store, a restaurant and some farm-related businesses at its center. |
| Within a span of a few hours last week, a strange series of events thrust the rural city into the spotlight: | Within a span of a few hours last week, a strange series of events thrust the rural city into the spotlight: |
| The town’s first black mayor, Tyus Byrd, who lost re-election earlier in the month, was turning over the reins to her successor last Tuesday. Not long after the mayor’s swearing-in, a fire broke out at Ms. Byrd’s house early Wednesday, burning it to the ground. Early that same morning, firefighters saw smoke coming out of City Hall, where flames quickly destroyed many city records, the authorities said. | The town’s first black mayor, Tyus Byrd, who lost re-election earlier in the month, was turning over the reins to her successor last Tuesday. Not long after the mayor’s swearing-in, a fire broke out at Ms. Byrd’s house early Wednesday, burning it to the ground. Early that same morning, firefighters saw smoke coming out of City Hall, where flames quickly destroyed many city records, the authorities said. |
| What began as a small-town changing of the guard has quickly become a statewide investigation. The authorities suspect foul play, and the state fire marshal’s office is assisting the local sheriff’s office in an arson inquiry. At the same time, the state auditor’s office announced it had opened an audit into Parma’s finances after finding credible allegations of problems under Ms. Byrd’s watch. Some have tied the two investigations together, suggesting that the fires were meant to destroy evidence, while another theory purported that Ms. Byrd had been targeted because of her race. | What began as a small-town changing of the guard has quickly become a statewide investigation. The authorities suspect foul play, and the state fire marshal’s office is assisting the local sheriff’s office in an arson inquiry. At the same time, the state auditor’s office announced it had opened an audit into Parma’s finances after finding credible allegations of problems under Ms. Byrd’s watch. Some have tied the two investigations together, suggesting that the fires were meant to destroy evidence, while another theory purported that Ms. Byrd had been targeted because of her race. |
| Chris Hensley, a chief deputy with the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department, said that the evidence showed that multiple fires had been set at City Hall and that arson was suspected. | Chris Hensley, a chief deputy with the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department, said that the evidence showed that multiple fires had been set at City Hall and that arson was suspected. |
| The fire at Ms. Byrd’s house was being investigated as suspicious. No suspects have been identified, but the location and timing of the fires have sent the town into a tailspin, as the new mayor, Rufus Williamson Jr., tries to take over without key records and as residents speculate about who may be to blame. | The fire at Ms. Byrd’s house was being investigated as suspicious. No suspects have been identified, but the location and timing of the fires have sent the town into a tailspin, as the new mayor, Rufus Williamson Jr., tries to take over without key records and as residents speculate about who may be to blame. |
| “There are tons of theories,” Deputy Hensley said in an interview Monday. “Whenever we go to the local store to get water or sodas, people are steadily talking about this and trying to help us with it.” | “There are tons of theories,” Deputy Hensley said in an interview Monday. “Whenever we go to the local store to get water or sodas, people are steadily talking about this and trying to help us with it.” |
| For his part, Mr. Williamson said he was still waiting on the facts. “I hear a lot of rumors, a lot of this and that,” he said Monday, as he worked on getting City Hall set up in a community building. “But I don’t really have anything to tell you I can put my foot on.” | For his part, Mr. Williamson said he was still waiting on the facts. “I hear a lot of rumors, a lot of this and that,” he said Monday, as he worked on getting City Hall set up in a community building. “But I don’t really have anything to tell you I can put my foot on.” |
| Ms. Byrd took office in 2015, making history as the first black mayor in a city that was about 37 percent black and 62 percent white. But before she was sworn in, four of Parma’s six police officers quit, along with the town’s wastewater manager and clerk. | Ms. Byrd took office in 2015, making history as the first black mayor in a city that was about 37 percent black and 62 percent white. But before she was sworn in, four of Parma’s six police officers quit, along with the town’s wastewater manager and clerk. |
| The employees who left were white, and in the aftermath of protests in Ferguson, Mo., to the north, over the police killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, some questioned whether the exodus in Parma reflected racial tensions. Locally, many residents seemed to believe that what had happened reflected tensions between an old government and the new one, and was not motivated by race. | The employees who left were white, and in the aftermath of protests in Ferguson, Mo., to the north, over the police killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, some questioned whether the exodus in Parma reflected racial tensions. Locally, many residents seemed to believe that what had happened reflected tensions between an old government and the new one, and was not motivated by race. |
| More recently, under Ms. Byrd’s administration, the Missouri state auditor’s office received a whistle-blower tip about financial problems in the city, including issues with payroll, financial oversight and management of city assets. The state auditor opened an investigation in January and found the allegations to be “credible,” according to the auditor’s office, which is now taking a closer look at the city’s finances. | More recently, under Ms. Byrd’s administration, the Missouri state auditor’s office received a whistle-blower tip about financial problems in the city, including issues with payroll, financial oversight and management of city assets. The state auditor opened an investigation in January and found the allegations to be “credible,” according to the auditor’s office, which is now taking a closer look at the city’s finances. |
| Allen Hampton, a Parma alderman who serves on the City Board, said the Internal Revenue Service recently told the city it owed thousands of dollars, and local businesses had been complaining that the city wasn’t paying its bills. | Allen Hampton, a Parma alderman who serves on the City Board, said the Internal Revenue Service recently told the city it owed thousands of dollars, and local businesses had been complaining that the city wasn’t paying its bills. |
| The election was held April 2, and Mr. Williamson, who is also black, defeated Ms. Byrd, 115 to 56. | The election was held April 2, and Mr. Williamson, who is also black, defeated Ms. Byrd, 115 to 56. |
| Then Ms. Byrd’s house burned down last Wednesday, and old questions about race surfaced. Her husband, Adrian Byrd, described the fire as a possible hate crime in a Facebook post that was later deleted, The Washington Post reported. Deputy Hensley said there was no evidence that her house had been targeted in a hate crime. | Then Ms. Byrd’s house burned down last Wednesday, and old questions about race surfaced. Her husband, Adrian Byrd, described the fire as a possible hate crime in a Facebook post that was later deleted, The Washington Post reported. Deputy Hensley said there was no evidence that her house had been targeted in a hate crime. |
| Ms. Byrd did not respond to multiple requests for comment Monday. | Ms. Byrd did not respond to multiple requests for comment Monday. |
| Her father, Simon Wofford, who is also a town alderman, said that she was staying overnight for a visit at his house the night of the fire and had been taking a shower when they got the call with the news. | Her father, Simon Wofford, who is also a town alderman, said that she was staying overnight for a visit at his house the night of the fire and had been taking a shower when they got the call with the news. |
| “She is doing O.K. right now,” he said when reached by phone Monday. “She was a little upset and hurt that night it happened.” | “She is doing O.K. right now,” he said when reached by phone Monday. “She was a little upset and hurt that night it happened.” |
| He denied that there had been any cover-up and said that his daughter had not gotten much cooperation as mayor. “When my daughter came in the office, she made some changes to make things better,” he said. | He denied that there had been any cover-up and said that his daughter had not gotten much cooperation as mayor. “When my daughter came in the office, she made some changes to make things better,” he said. |
| Mr. Hampton, who is white, denied that any problems with Ms. Byrd, then or now, were about race. | Mr. Hampton, who is white, denied that any problems with Ms. Byrd, then or now, were about race. |
| “Of course, everybody has opinions about why and possibly who started the fire, but there is no racial divide, and there will not be,” said Mr. Hampton, whose wife was a longtime city treasurer before resigning two months into Ms. Byrd’s administration. She is now volunteering as an administrative assistant to the new mayor’s administration. | “Of course, everybody has opinions about why and possibly who started the fire, but there is no racial divide, and there will not be,” said Mr. Hampton, whose wife was a longtime city treasurer before resigning two months into Ms. Byrd’s administration. She is now volunteering as an administrative assistant to the new mayor’s administration. |
| His theory: “It was definitely arson, and it was, everyone would assume, to cover up and burn evidence.” | His theory: “It was definitely arson, and it was, everyone would assume, to cover up and burn evidence.” |
| By Monday, the new mayor, Mr. Williamson, said the city was trying to stay afloat after the tumultuous first days of his administration. The fire disrupted phone lines to city offices and destroyed City Hall’s main computer, along with paperwork that may have offered guidance. | By Monday, the new mayor, Mr. Williamson, said the city was trying to stay afloat after the tumultuous first days of his administration. The fire disrupted phone lines to city offices and destroyed City Hall’s main computer, along with paperwork that may have offered guidance. |
| “We’re just doing the best we can here,” he said. | “We’re just doing the best we can here,” he said. |