Man charged with arson at Pennsylvania governor's home struggled with mental health, brother says

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man accused of setting fire to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion over the weekend had struggled with mental illness, twice being treated at a psychiatric hospital, as his life unraveled dramatically in the past few years, his brother said Tuesday.

Cody Balmer, 38, had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but didn’t believe the assessment, his brother, Dan Balmer, told The Associated Press. He said he twice helped Cody get treatment at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute.

Authorities allege Cody Balmer scaled an iron security fence, eluded police and set the Democratic governor’s official residence ablaze early Sunday morning. Investigators were combing his background to try to determine any motive for the attack, including whether it had anything to do with Shapiro’s politics or Jewish faith.

Dan Balmer said his brother had displayed concerning behavior, including the night before the fire, when he flipped over a table with a jigsaw puzzle on top at the home where Cody Balmer lived with their parents.

Cody Balmer previously was charged with punching relatives during a 2023 fight in which he was accused of stepping on a child’s broken leg — a case still unresolved. Court records also show he had child custody cases with two women and had faced foreclosure.

“He’s had ups and downs his whole life with the bipolar,” Dan Balmer said. “He doesn’t believe he’s bipolar, so he doesn’t take his medicine.”

Cody Balmer also believed his sister-in-law was a witch who had cast a spell on him, Dan Balmer said. He said his brother had a grudge against the woman because she pressed for him to get inpatient psychiatric care.

The brothers also disagreed on politics. Cody Balmer, who is registered as an unaffiliated voter, had always been politically interested and considered himself “more of an independent than anything else,” but tried to convince the family to vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, said his brother, a Democrat.

An electrical engineer who lives in the Harrisburg suburbs, Dan Balmer said he gave his brother a place to live a couple of years ago because he couldn't afford his apartment.

Cody Balmer seemed like he needed help and agreed to enter the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, but soon “got mad and left” the facility, Dan Balmer said.

“He had these theories that were going on in his head,” Dan Balmer said. “We would confront him and say, ‘No, that is not what is happening in the real world.’ He would get angry.”

Police were called and crisis intervention became involved before Cody Balmer went back to the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute less voluntarily, as a sort of condition of being able to stay with family, Dan Balmer recalled.

“He was there for a while. He got the clear bill of health. He was on his meds,” Dan Balmer said.

He said problems arose when Cody brought home women, some he knew from the hospital. When he was told he had to leave, Cody Balmer took it well and left quickly, his brother said.

He moved into an apartment his parents rented, then moved with them to a rental house in a working-class neighborhood of Harrisburg, Dan Balmer said.

When he appeared before a judge Monday, Cody Balmer said he was an unemployed welder with no income or savings.

Cody Balmer was denied bail and held on charges including attempted homicide, terrorism and arson in the attack, the latest case of violence against political figures in the U.S.

He did not enter a plea. He had told police he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him after breaking into the building, according to court documents.

Balmer appeared to have carefully planned the attack and was inside the residence for about a minute before escaping, police said. Authorities alleged he hopped over a nearly 7-foot-high (2-meter-high) security fence surrounding the property, eluded officers and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire with Molotov cocktails made from beer bottles filled with gasoline.

The fire caused significant damage and forced Shapiro, his family and guests, including other relatives, to evacuate the building early Sunday. The residence, built in 1968, did not have sprinklers, and the damage could be in the millions of dollars, Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline said.

Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover on Saturday night in the room where the fire was started. They were awakened by state troopers pounding on their doors about 2 a.m. Sunday. They fled and firefighters extinguished the fire, officials said. No one was injured.

Balmer had walked an hour from home to the governor's residence, and during a police interview “admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,” according to a police affidavit that did not expand on that point.

Balmer turned himself in at state police headquarters after confessing to his former partner and asking her to call police, the affidavit said.

This photo April 14, 2025, provided by Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Cody Balmer, who is accused of breaking into the Pennsylvania Governors Mansion over the weekend and setting it on fire, in Camp Hill, Pa. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP)

Workers trash items following an arson attack on Pennsylvania governor's official residence in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Workers move furniture following an arson attack on the Pennsylvania Governor's official residence in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Commonwealth Media Services via AP)

Police investigate Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence after someone set fire to the building on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg, Pa. (Sean Simmers/The Patriot-News via AP)

Police investigate Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence after someone set fire to the building on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg, Pa. (Sean Simmers/The Patriot-News via AP)

The windows and door is damaged from an overnight fire at the governor’s official residence on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Commonwealth Media Services via AP)

Charred wood trim and brick are visible at the Pennsylvania governor's official residence after a man was arrested in the alleged arson that forced Gov. Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

A charred piano, left, is visible inside the Pennsylvania governor's official residence after a man was arrested in the alleged arson that forced Gov. Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Charred tables and dishes are visible inside the Pennsylvania governor's official residence after a man was arrested in an alleged arson that forced Gov. Shapiro, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Investigators are on the scene after an overnight fire at the governor’s official residence on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Shown is Pennsylvania governor's official residence in Harrisburg, Pa., Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The aftermath of a fire can be seen at Pennsylvania governor's official residence in Harrisburg, Pa., Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro pauses during a news conference at the governor's official residence discussing the alleged arson that forced him, his family and guests to flee in the middle of the night on the Jewish holiday of Passover, Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Commonwealth Media Services via AP)

This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (Commonwealth Media Services via AP)

Cody Balmer is escorted from court after his preliminary arraignment on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Cody Balmer is taken from a courtroom Monday, April 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa., after being denied bail for charges he broke into the governor's residence and started a fire that did extensive damage. (AP Photo/Mark Scolforo)

Cody Balmer is escorted from court after his preliminary arraignment on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton had three hits and the Minnesota Twins batted around in a six-run first inning against Framber Valdez before holding off the Detroit Tigers 8-6 on Wednesday night.

Bailey Ober (1-0) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Twins, who will go for a four-game sweep of their AL Central rivals Thursday afternoon. Cody Laweryson struck out two in 1 1/3 innings before Kody Funderburk got two outs for his third career save and first this season.

Buxton singled on the first pitch from Valdez (1-1) and later scored on a wild pitch. Ryan Jeffers had a sacrifice fly, Josh Bell singled in a run and Matt Wallner added an RBI double. Royce Lewis made it 6-0 with a two-run single before Valdez retired the side on his 29th pitch.

Buxton singled and scored on a two-out base hit by Luke Keaschall for a 7-0 lead in the fourth. Buxton also doubled and scored the Twins' final run in the sixth.

Ober allowed RBI singles to Kerry Carpenter and Dillon Dingler before leaving with two on in the sixth. Justin Topa gave up an infield single to Parker Meadows that loaded the bases before Zach McKinstry lined out to left field.

Anthony Banda allowed a two-run double to Gleyber Torres and an RBI single to Riley Greene in the seventh. Cole Sands let Greene score on a wild pitch before striking out Meadows to keep it 8-6.

Valdez exited after Buxton and Austin Martin singled to start the sixth. The left-hander gave up eight runs — matching his career high — on 10 hits and two walks.

Valdez had allowed just one earned run over 12 innings in his first two starts for Detroit after signing a $115 million, three-year contract as a free agent in February.

Twins RHP Mick Abel (0-2, 11.05 ERA) starts Thursday opposite Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 7.56).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) celebrates in the dugout after scoring during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez throws to the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober throws to the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

Minnesota Twins' Luke Keaschall, left, slides safely into home plate while Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler, right, attempts to tag him out during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis celebrates after hitting a single to score 2 runs batted in during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)