Maroa Resident Sentenced to 20 Years for Disturbing Crime Against Girlfriend

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A resident of Maroa, Illinois, has been handed a 20-year prison sentence after admitting to a harrowing act of domestic violence in which he set his girlfriend ablaze last year.

Matthew Broadhacker, aged 37, appeared in court Thursday morning. Initially, he faced charges including attempted murder, aggravated battery causing serious bodily harm, and aggravated domestic battery, with a trial set for the following month.

The session on Thursday was intended as the final status hearing before the trial. However, a plea agreement was reached earlier in the week, leading to a restructured hearing where Broadhacker entered his guilty plea.

Broadhacker addressed the court prior to admitting guilt to attempted murder, a Class X felony. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining charges. Judge Thomas Griffith accepted this agreement and subsequently sentenced Broadhacker to 20 years in prison for the attempted murder charge.

The domestic violence incident on Sept. 28, 2024, left many in Maroa shocked. In a sworn statement, Maroa Police said they and the Maroa Fire Department responded to Male Street for report of a fire and an injured person.

They found a 44-year-old woman with third-degree burns on half her body. She was initially transported to Decatur Memorial Hospital, but was later taken to Springfield due to the severity of her injuries. She ultimately survived.

Broadhacker, who police said had been living with the woman for one and a half years, was also present at the home. Responding officers reported they could smell gasoline coming from him, and an investigation was launched.

The investigation revealed that at 8:22 p.m., the woman sent a text message to an ex-boyfriend that read, “Matt just poured gas on me.” Four minutes later, emergency responders were dispatched to Maple Street.

Broadhacker was detained at the scene and was later formally placed under arrest and charged. 14 months later, he pleaded guilty to trying to kill his girlfriend.

The 20-year sentence Broadhacker received will be served at 85%, and Judge Griffith gave him credit for the 14 months he’s spent in the Macon Couty Jail. Once out of prison, Broadhacker will spend three years on parole.

Court records also indicate that Broadhacker requested to be placed in the Lincoln Correctional Center, a minimum-security facility.