Brother of former NFL star pleads guilty in arson case

The legal saga surrounding Richard Tillman, the younger brother of the late NFL star and war hero Pat Tillman, reached a milestone this week.

The 44-year-old formally pleaded guilty in federal court to the malicious destruction of government property, a crime committed in the summer of 2025 in San Jose, California.

The alleged events are as spectacular as they are disturbing. On July 20, Richard Tillman deliberately rammed his vehicle into a post office located in a shopping mall before setting it on fire. The incident, which he himself broadcast live on YouTube, devastated the building's lobby. Fortunately, no one was injured in the attack. Tillman admitted to acting in this way to “send a message to the U.S. government,” although the exact nature of his demands remains unclear.

Since his arrest, the Tillman family has broken their silence to explain this desperate act. His brother, Kevin Tillman, said that Richard had suffered from serious mental health issues for many years. This family tragedy adds to the Tillmans' already troubled history, with Pat giving up his lucrative career with the Arizona Cardinals after 9/11 to serve in Afghanistan, where he lost his life in 2004.

Sentence expected in spring 2026

Now that the guilty plea has been entered, attention turns to sentencing, which is scheduled for April 27, 2026. Richard Tillman, who remains in federal custody, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The Almaden Valley post office, whose lobby was completely destroyed by the fire and the “fire logs” (instalogs) used by Tillman, remains a symbol of the damage caused. For the San Jose community, this case is a painful reminder of the challenges of mental health care, even within families considered national icons.

This content was created with the help of AI.