The US soldier who detonated a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday had separated from his wife just six days before taking his own life inside the vehicle, law enforcement sources revealed.
Matthew Livelsberger, 37, left his home in Colorado Springs the day after Christmas following a heated argument with his wife, who accused him of infidelity, according to sources close to the investigation. The couple shared a baby daughter.
After leaving Colorado, Livelsberger rented a Tesla Cybertruck through Turo and traveled to Las Vegas. On New Year’s Day, he parked outside the Trump hotel, detonated explosives inside the truck, and fatally shot himself, Las Vegas police confirmed.
Initially, investigators explored whether the incident had political motivations due to the high-profile location and use of a Tesla vehicle, owned by Elon Musk, a Trump ally. However, sources now suggest his actions may have been driven by personal issues rather than political ones.
“It’s not lost on us that it happened in front of the Trump building and a Tesla vehicle was used,” said FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans.
The Cybertruck’s robust steel design contained the blast, preventing extensive damage. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted, “The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.”
Livelsberger, a 19-year Army veteran and Special Forces member, was identified through his passport and Army ID found in the vehicle. His uncle described him as a “very patriotic soldier” who “loved Trump.”
Seven people suffered minor injuries in the incident.
