Who is Cody Allen Balmer? Suspect accused of arson attack on Gov. Shapiro’s home

The man accused of firebombing Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s house over the weekend had struggled in recent years with problems in his home life as well as issues stemming from covering his home mortgage, according to court records reviewed by ABC News.

Cody Allen Balmer was arrested on Sunday for allegedly breaking into the governor’s home while he and his family were inside and setting fires with two Molotov cocktails.

He was denied bail at his arraignment on Monday.

Before he was arrested and charged with attempted homicide, aggravated arson and terrorism in the attack on the governor’s mansion, Balmer was already due in court this coming Wednesday on charges stemming from the domestic assault allegations.

Balmer, 38, had grappled with a protracted back-and-forth over foreclosure proceedings, and allegations that he assaulted his then-wife and children amid what he told police was his failed attempt at suicide.

He had worked as an auto mechanic in the Harrisburg area and served eight years as an Army Reservist from his late teen years onward. U.S. Army Spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan said in a statement that Balmer was a construction equipment repairer (62B) in the Army Reserve from April 2004 to June 2012. He had no deployments. He was a sergeant when he left the Army. The Service declined to say whether he had been discharged honorably, citing privacy laws.

In 2022, Balmer was sued by a mortgage lender seeking to foreclose on his Harrisburg house. By June 2024, he owed nearly $117,000 plus interest. A sheriff’s sale had been set, but Balmer’s lawyer asked that the sale be postponed, saying Balmer had found it harder to make ends meet because of bad luck and marital strife.

Balmer had “fallen behind in his mortgage due to several hardship factors, including injuries from an auto accident leading to his inability to work and maintain an income and a separation from his wife,” his lawyer said in court documents. Still, he had just found a buyer despite “numerous issues in and with the property” and needed time to finish the sale. The case was dismissed in Jan. 2025 as the parties had “resolved” the matter.

At the same time, he had an escalating and allegedly violent situation at home, court documents show.

In late Jan. 2023, local police were called to a home in the Harrisburg area for what was characterized in court documents as an “active physical domestic” incident.

“A child caller advised his stepfather was beating his mother,” the responding officer’s affidavit said. The officer responded and outside the home met Balmer’s then-wife “in an elevated state, yelling and crying about her husband, Cody Balmer, having assaulted her.”

“Cody was still inside the residence,” the officer said.

Balmer told the officer “that he had taken a bottle full of pills in an attempt to kill himself,” the affidavit said. “An argument ensued between Cody and [his wife] to a point that his 13-year-old son” had “stepped in between them. Cody then admitted to shoving his son and that a fight ensued between all parties. Cody showcased injuries to his face.”

Balmer had hit his 10-year-old son “in the chest and stepped on his broken leg in the midst of a scuffle with the victim and two others,” and had hit his 13-year-old son and his wife “with closed fists, and bit his wife causing a puncture wound on her hand,” according to the criminal complaint.

A $5,000 unsecured bail was set for Balmer, according to a criminal docket. The document says this was “to make [it] easier to co-parent.”

In Pennsylvania, defendants given an unsecured bail do not have to post any money upfront but must agree to pay the stated bail amount should they not show up for court or violate bail conditions, according to state law.

The assault case is still pending in Dauphin County. A separate criminal docket states that a hearing in that case was scheduled for this coming Wednesday.

Available court documents did not indicate whether he had entered a plea in the domestic assault case. His estranged wife and public defender did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.

Balmer was also previously accused of forgery. Court records show he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of probation. Balmer’s estranged wife’s aunt told ABC News over the phone that she had only met him “a couple of times” but that “he seemed nice.”

“He was a little quiet, just, a little laid back, but he seemed nice,” Aunt Janel Jones said. She had heard of the arson attack of which Balmer is now accused — a “shock” to her, she said.

“It’s a shock. To me, it’s a shock. But you never know – I wasn’t around him 24/7 either. The only person that could give you, like, a better understanding of him would be my niece, his wife,” Jones said, adding her niece has two daughters with Balmer. “So that’s — this is crazy. This is really crazy,” Jones said.

A Facebook profile being reviewed by law enforcement in connection to Balmer reflects a mix of family photos with what appeared to be an expression of disdain for politicians on both sides of the aisle. His pictures include selfies with small kids wearing costumes, and other posts include critiques of both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, the latter of whom he criticized for his age and his economic policies.

Balmer also made numerous posts complaining about the high cost of living in the United States. In Nov. 2022, he posted, “Can’t pay rent? Sell your f**** organs! No more organs? F**** die then this is America be grateful for the opportunity you had.”

In a 2022 post, Balmer shared an image of an embroidered flaming Molotov cocktail, with the inscription: “Be the light you want to see in the world.”