A seasoned Army veteran grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder voiced sharp criticism toward U.S. government leaders, labeling them as “weak,” and seemed to admit that he intentionally caused an explosion involving a Tesla Cybertruck at the entrance of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. This is what the police disclosed on Friday.
Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department explained that investigators managed to unlock one of two phones retrieved from the Cybertruck. In one app, functioning like a personal journal, it contained entries that chronicled Matthew Alan Livelsberger’s activities and mental state from December 21 until New Year’s Eve.
According to Koren, two letters found in the app pointed toward a potential motive. In one, Livelsberger urged “fellow service members, veterans, and all Americans” to “wake up,” arguing that the country’s leadership is “weak” and motivated solely by self-enrichment.
Further insight into his mindset was revealed through a second letter. Livelsberger lamented, “We are the United States of America, the greatest country to have ever existed, but currently, we are gravely sick and on the brink of collapse.” He emphasized that “this was not a terrorist attack, but a wake-up call,” stating that Americans are only drawn to “spectacles and violence.” His dramatic act with fireworks and explosives, he said, was meant as a powerful message. He also expressed a need to release the burden of lost comrades and the lives taken in service.
Spencer Evans, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Las Vegas, elaborated that the probe, alongside a consultation with the Army, suggested Livelsberger likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. He noted that potential “family issues or personal grievances” might have been factors in his actions.
Livelsberger’s frustrations extended beyond personal grievances, touching on global conflicts and domestic issues, according to Koren. Authorities continue to sift through the phone’s contents. Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill mentioned that they have yet to access the second phone found in the vehicle.
Links between the Cybertruck explosion and an alleged terrorist attack occurring hours earlier in New Orleans, which claimed 14 lives on Bourbon Street, remain unsubstantiated. Investigators have only found coincidental overlaps, such as both suspects renting their vehicles from the same company.
There was no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, Evans noted regarding Livelsberger’s actions.
On Thursday, authorities confirmed Livelsberger as the suspect behind the Las Vegas incident. It was determined by the Clark County coroner that he died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His identity was confirmed through family DNA and tattoos on his body, which had been severely burned in the explosion.
Livelsberger, 37, had been on leave from military service when he rented the Tesla Cybertruck and made his way from Colorado to Las Vegas. It was in this vehicle’s bed that fireworks and gasoline were ignited at the Trump hotel entrance.
Those who served alongside Livelsberger throughout his nearly two-decade military career described him as a committed, patriotic soldier and a loyal team member. Two fellow soldiers expressed shock at his recent actions, with one remarking he was “not a violent person.”
One soldier recalled Livelsberger’s frequent political expressions on social media, which, while generally patriotic and pro-military, sometimes caused friction due to differing political views.
“He would share a lot of political thoughts on social media, which made some uneasy,” one said, choosing to remain anonymous as they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss fellow service members.
Alicia Arritt, a woman who dated Livelsberger intermittently for around three years, told NBC News he was a proud soldier but struggled with chronic pain, often concealing it from military superiors. She mentioned he wasn’t overtly political during their time together. Despite losing contact, she recently received messages about him renting a Cybertruck, with no indication of his forthcoming actions.
Dean Livelsberger, his uncle, shared with The Independent that Livelsberger was a fervent supporter of Trump and a patriotic American, though he didn’t respond to NBC News’ request for an interview.
NBC News found social media profiles likely belonging to Livelsberger, showing a traveler with a recent child. His military service history began in 2006, with stints in the National Guard, Army Reserve, and active duty from December 2012 as a U.S. Army special operations soldier.
Livelsberger shared travels to Thailand and Italy online, and contributed photos to Google Maps from places like a San Juan bistro and a French church, to warnings of scams in Georgia. He frequently posted about Colorado, his place of residence.
Aside from these, his online presence was relatively sparse, with a LinkedIn page and a Facebook profile. His military deployments included service in the Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan between 2014 and 2019.
Public records show Livelsberger was married in 2012 and divorced in 2018, with another marriage application filed in 2022. That same year, a relationship surfaced with a woman who posted pictures online wearing a wedding ring.
On Facebook, Livelsberger shared heartfelt moments in September, showing him and his partner with their newborn, and him holding the infant by a water body. Law enforcement later leveraged his distinct tattoos for identification, including a new triple-crescent symbol near his elbow.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, you can reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or chatting live at 988lifeline.org. Additional resources are available at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
