A 43-year-old man in Illinois will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison after dousing his ex-girlfriend in vodka and setting her on fire, resulting in burns on nearly one-third of her body. Daniel N. Pace was sentenced to the maximum prison term of 60 years by Tenth Circuit Judge Stephen A. Kouri on Wednesday, according to authorities.
In May, a jury found Pace guilty of aggravated battery and aggravated domestic battery, and the court determined that he acted with “exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior, indicative of wanton cruelty.”
Under the state’s “Truth in Sentencing” laws, individuals convicted of certain violent offenses, such as Pace, must serve at least 85% of their sentence.
According to a news release from the Peoria County State Attorney’s Office, the horrific attack occurred on August 19, 2022, at the Landmark Apartment Complex on the 700 block of North Shipman Street.
Pace and the victim had an argument, and at some point, Pace “grabbed a bottle of vodka, poured it over her head, and then flicked a lighter — not once, but twice — setting her ablaze,” according to the release.
The victim sustained serious and permanent injuries, with prosecutors claiming that the burns covered 30% of her body, “including third-degree burns on 19% of her skin.”
Pace’s victim wrote a “powerful” victim impact statement, which was read aloud in court during the sentencing hearing and described the impact the attack had on her life.
“She’s lost two jobs, and she may never be able to work again due to her injuries,” prosecutors wrote in the release. “The physical pain is still a daily struggle, but it’s not just the burns that have affected her; she’s also suffered emotional, mental, and financial consequences. Years later, she still experiences daily pain and struggles to trust others, adding that it is not something she would wish on anyone.
According to reports from Peoria NBC and ABC affiliate WEEK, the judge also had some harsh words for Pace.
“I think that Mr. Pace is an incredibly violent person,” Kouri reportedly told the court. “Throughout my years as a judge, I have thought it but never said it. I believe you are an incredibly evil person. I believe we need a break from you.
Pace, who has allegedly abused numerous women since the early 2000s, interrupted the judge and attempted to plead his case.
“Most of the time, I was getting the bad end of the stick,” he told WEEK. “These relationships, they were not good on both sides.”
Prosecutors also told the court that, in addition to hospitalizing the victim at least once a month during their relationship, he kept her locked in the apartment for four days after setting her on fire and refusing to let her seek medical attention.
Pace claimed that the victim’s injuries were the result of a “accident” while they were using drugs.
