A suspect who confessed to setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s official residence was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to the incident on Tuesday.
Cody Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty to 22 counts including arson, attempted murder, terrorism, and other related charges following the fire that occurred on April 13 while 17 people, including children, were inside the house.
This attack coincided with the second day of Passover. The Shapiro family, having observed the Seder the previous night, was at home with overnight guests and two state troopers assigned for protection when the fire broke out.
Fortunately, all individuals in the house were evacuated safely.
The arson resulted in millions of dollars worth of destruction to the property, which was built in 1968 and lacked a sprinkler system.
Balmer disclosed to law enforcement that he had planned to confront Shapiro with a mini-sledgehammer had he encountered the Democratic governor.
During his questioning, he expressed deep concerns over the war in Gaza, stating he believed countless lives might be at risk, and suggested he would be willing to take a life if it meant addressing the situation. According to Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo, Balmer perceived his arson as a response to the conflicts in the Middle East.
Balmer’s family contended that he experienced manic episodes after ceasing his mental health medication, with his mother stating she had sought help for him but was unsuccessful.
In a May letter to the Associated Press, Balmer denied harboring any bigoted motives for the fire, asserting that the governor’s religion didn’t matter to him as long as he was left alone.
Balmer did not specify his grievances against Shapiro.
Shapiro addressed reporters after the sentencing, expressing the difficulty of confronting the term “attempted murder,” especially regarding the threat to his family’s life. “It’s hard for me to stand before you today and utter the words, attempted murder, knowing someone tried to kill me,” he remarked. “It’s especially difficult to comprehend that he attempted to burn our family alive while we were asleep,” he reflected, admitting a lingering sense of guilt for placing his children at risk through his work.
Security footage revealed Balmer scaling an iron fence late at night, evading police security, breaking a window in the southern wing, and igniting homemade Molotov cocktails inside.
The fire inflicted damage to walls, tables, buffet serving dishes, plates, and even a piano, with window panes and brick surrounding doors and windows also suffering significant harm.
Shapiro highlighted the alarming rise in political violence, urging that such occurrences should not be normalized for elected officials, stating, “This made it all real, bringing a sense of vulnerability that we navigate daily. We are diligently working through this situation.”
With Post wires
