CASTLE SHANNON, Pa. — A Pennsylvania father who admitted to deliberately setting fire to the home where his estranged wife and 19-year-old daughter were still inside will spend decades behind bars.
Brian Shelleby, 47, was sentenced Thursday to 15 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty last month to third-degree murder and aggravated arson.
The sentence comes nearly a year after a devastating fire at the Castle Shannon home that Shelleby once shared with his wife, Carly Shelleby, and their daughter, Lakyn.
On the morning of Sept. 14, 2025, authorities say Shelleby poured gasoline throughout the home before setting it ablaze while the two women remained inside.
Argument Over Staying Led to Threat
According to an affidavit, Brian and Carly Shelleby were in the process of separating and had been arguing about whether he could continue staying at the home.
Carly told police that the couple argued on the morning of the fire after she told her estranged husband that he could no longer stay in the house.
The confrontation allegedly escalated when Shelleby threatened to burn the home down. He then grabbed a 5-gallon gasoline can and began pouring gasoline throughout both floors of the house.
Moments later, the home erupted into flames.
Mother Escapes as Daughter Becomes Trapped
As the house caught fire, Carly Shelleby screamed for her daughter to get outside. Carly was able to escape the burning home, but she suffered severe burns in the process. Lakyn, however, was unable to get out.
According to authorities, the 19-year-old became trapped inside the home and was later found unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The tragedy left Carly facing not only serious injuries but also the loss of her daughter in a fire that prosecutors said was deliberately started by her estranged husband.
Father Admitted Setting the Fire
Brian Shelleby remained at the scene after the fire and told police that he had started the blaze. He reportedly told investigators that he had been talking with his wife and was trying to “convince her to let him stay.”
After she told him he needed to leave, he went looking for the gasoline can. His admission ultimately became part of the case that led to his guilty plea and Thursday’s prison sentence.
Wife Confronts Husband During Sentencing
During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Carly Shelleby reportedly confronted the devastating reality of what happened. According to local ABC affiliate WTAE, she asked the judge a heartbreaking question:
“How was it so easy for him to burn us alive?”
Brian Shelleby did not speak during the hearing. Instead, his attorney, Phil DiLucente, read a statement on his behalf in which Shelleby apologized to his family.
“To my family, my wife and my daughter, I am sorry. This should have never happened,” the statement said.
He also said his days were filled with flashbacks and his nights with nightmares, adding that a part of him died along with his daughter.
“I wish I could take that day back. I am just completely sorry,” he said in the statement.
Shelleby Begins 15–30 Year Prison Sentence
The court’s sentence means Shelleby will spend at least 15 years behind bars, with a maximum sentence of 30 years.
His guilty plea to third-degree murder and aggravated arson brought the criminal case to a close, but for Carly, the consequences of the fire will continue long after the sentencing.
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