Cody Balmer, Male Who Set Governors Mansion On Fire Sentenced Up To 50 Years In Prison
by Dan Doyle | October 14, 2025
HARRISBURG, PA — A Dauphin County man who launched a firebomb attack on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence earlier this year has been sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder of Governor Josh Shapiro and multiple arson-related charges.
Cody A. Balmer, 38, admitted to a meticulously planned assault on April 13, 2025, during which he set fire to the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg while Governor Shapiro, First Lady Lori Shapiro, their three children, and 19 others including eight children and two Pennsylvania State Police troopers were inside.
Dauphin County Judge Deborah E. Curcillo accepted the plea agreement offered by District Attorney Fran Chardo. Under the terms of the agreement, Balmer will serve no less than 25 years and no more than 50 years in a state correctional facility. He will not be eligible for parole until April 13, 2050, when he will be 63 years old. If paroled, he will remain under supervision until 2075.
According to court documents, Balmer traveled to the Governor’s Residence in the early morning hours of April 13 with the intent to attack. Carrying two Molotov cocktails and a sledgehammer, he scaled the property’s fence and broke through a window using the hammer. He then ignited two fires inside the mansion before fleeing on foot.
Surveillance footage captured Balmer entering the property undetected, walking up to a window, smashing it, and setting a fire. He then proceeded to another window, broke through it, and entered the residence. Once inside, he lit another fire and attempted to kick in doors, including one leading to the hallway near the sleeping quarters of the Governor’s family. At no point was Balmer confronted by on-site security, managing to leave the building and property unchallenged.
The security lapses exposed by the incident reportedly prompted a security and risk assessment by a retired Pennsylvania State Police commander. The findings of that assessment have not been released to the public.
Investigators said Balmer confessed to targeting Governor Shapiro, citing anger over “the military actions of the State of Israel in Gaza.” He told police that if he had encountered the Governor during the attack, he intended to strike him with the hammer an admission prosecutors said demonstrated his intent to kill.
Police later recovered Balmer’s distinctive work jacket, marked with a Snap-on logo and an “ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician” patch, as well as the sledgehammer used to break into the residence.
The attack caused significant damage to the historic Governor’s Residence and endangered 22 people, including children as young as eight. Governor Shapiro and the First Lady submitted a victim impact statement describing the “brutal act of arson” and the fear it caused their family and guests.
District Attorney Chardo said the lengthy sentence “ensures the public’s safety and reflects the seriousness of this calculated, violent act.”
Balmer’s guilty plea included charges of attempted murder, aggravated arson, 22 counts of arson endangering persons, burglary, and related offenses.