The January 23, 2025 fire that damaged a Lomira duplex has ended with a rare outcome: a Dodge County judge has ordered 23-year-old Connor Bralich to spend 25 years in state mental-health custody. Bralich was found guilty of arson but also not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, and the blaze left both units damaged and the landlord's family without a home.
Judge orders 25-year commitment
Court records show the judge committed Bralich to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for 25 years, according to FOX6 News. The ruling came after the responsibility phase of the case, where the court concluded that although Bralich set the fire, his mental condition meant he was not criminally responsible. Instead of serving time in the Department of Corrections, he will be held in state care under DHS.
How investigators tracked him
Investigators say the fire started on Jan. 23, 2025 at a duplex near 2nd and Main, where Bralich lived in the upper unit. Deputies used automated license-plate readers and surveillance cameras to locate him in West Bend about two hours later, according to WISN. Prosecutors told FOX6 News that when detectives confronted Bralich, he responded, "I know, I did it." Fire crews pulled two dogs from the home, and authorities reported no human injuries.
What the commitment means
Under Wisconsin law, a verdict of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect allows the court to commit the person to the Department of Health Services for a time period it sets, which can match the maximum prison term and in some cases be for life, as laid out in Wis. Stat. § 971.17 and explained by Justia. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services outlines victim-notification options and conditional-release procedures for people under such commitments, and the statute assigns specific roles to both the court and DHS for periodic reviews and any petitions for conditional release.
Neighbors, landlord still picking up pieces
The duplex’s lower unit was home to the landlord’s family, who were displaced after the fire and initially depended on local support. Community response and fundraising were documented in earlier coverage from Hoodline after the January 2025 blaze. Local reports note that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshal handled the investigation in the aftermath of the fire.
What's next
The commitment order was entered on Wednesday, and under state law, people held under § 971.17 can ask the court for conditional release or discharge at intervals specified in the statute, according to Justia. Victims and community members can sign up for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ victim-notification program to receive updates on any future release efforts or court action, as described on the DHS site.
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