You may be right bw, but I am going on the fact that he is older 22-23ish as compared to 19, He is a graduate of B Southern and now at UAB, and it was his vehicle used in the crimes. To me that points to him manipulating the younger guys into helping him. The whole "It was a joke" and blaming on the younger guy, is just the type of thing a manipulator would do too.
We'll see soon enough. Can just imagine the parent(s) of these perps prior to the arrest: "Isn't it awful, those churches being burned??" "Yes, just who would do such a thing?"