BINGHAMTON, NY (607NewsNow) – A Binghamton man will spend time behind bars.
On April 6, Patrick Shea will be sentenced on charges of arson and manslaughter.
The 37-year-old started the fire that killed Binghamton Firefighter John “JR” Gaudet on February 12, 2025. Shea, who was homeless at the time and admitted to lighting the fire in a vacant building to keep warm, was arrested on March 13, 2025.
Fox 40 reports that Shea, who was originally charged with second-degree murder, pleaded guilty to arson and manslaughter in January 2026.
Gaudet was an 11-year veteran of the Binghamton Fire Department and father of three. He has been added to the NYS Fallen Firefighters Memorial, and recently had a park named in his honor.
