Defendant Found Guilty of Setting Girlfriend on Fire

May 3, 2025, Peoria, IL - Friday, Daniel N. Pace, 42, was found guilty of Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Domestic Battery for setting his girlfriend on fire nearly three years ago and causing severe burns down the right side of her body. In total, the victim received burns to 30% of her body, with 19% of those being third-degree burns.

During the one-day bench trial, the victim bravely recounted the events of August 19, 2022. At that time, she was living with Pace in the Landmark Apartment Complex. The two had an argument, during which Pace grabbed a bottle of vodka, poured it over her head, and then flicked a lighter-not once, but twice-setting her ablaze. She immediately fell to the floor, and Pace used a blanket to extinguish the fire.

During the investigation, Pace provided multiple accounts of the incident, consistently blaming the victim by saying she had set herself on fire. Even during the trial, Pace took the stand and presented a different version of events, this time claiming he accidentally set her on fire while she was lying in bed. However, this claim was refuted during testimony by the lead detective, who noted that there were no burn marks on the bed, only on the floor of the apartment, and pictures shown during the trial not only revealed burns to the front and side of her body, but also on her backside as well.

Sentencing for the case is set for July 9.

###