Investigators have yet to understand what prompted an active-duty United States Army man to rent a Tesla Cybertruck and drive it to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, where he appeared to shoot himself in the head before the vehicle detonated on New Year’s Day. Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill identified 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger of Colorado Springs, Colorado, as a person of interest in the case, but he would not say he is a suspect until DNA matches the remains of a victim inside the Cybertruck. However, on Thursday evening, the Clark County Coroner identified the driver of the vehicle as Livelsberger, stating that the cause of death was an intraoral gunshot wound and that the manner of death was suicide. At approximately 8:40 am New Year’s Day, the truck was seen pulling up to the valet entrance of the hotel before stopping. Seventeen seconds later, the vehicle blew up, and fireworks could be heard shooting from the bulletproof truck.

Along with fireworks, McMahill said the truck contained camping fuel and gasoline. The explosion did not damage the body of the truck, other than glass and the bed cover, the sheriff noted.

He also stated that the hotel’s glass doors were not shattered, while seven bystanders received minor injuries. While the subject’s body was charred beyond recognition, McMahill stated that the guy had a gunshot wound to the head prior to detonation, and a revolver was discovered at his feet inside the vehicle. McMahill did not state Livelsberger was on a suicide mission, but he did describe it as “a suicide with a bombing that occurred immediately thereafter.”

On Thursday, FBI officials investigated Livelsberger’s house in Colorado Springs to determine his motivation and how he got to Las Vegas. “We know we have a bombing, absolutely, and it’s a bombing with factors that raise concerns,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans said at a press briefing on Thursday. “We know it’s in front of the Trump building and it’s a Tesla vehicle, but we don’t have definitive information at this point.” It was due to this certain philosophy or the reasons behind it.” According to the Associated Press, Livelsberger died while on permitted leave after returning from an overseas assignment in Germany

He was on approved leave when he died, according to a US official. A law enforcement official also told the AP that investigators discovered through interviews that Livelsberger may have gotten into a disagreement with his wife over marital troubles shortly before renting the Tesla and legally purchasing the firearms located in the vehicle. The official spoke with the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the current inquiry.

Livelsberger appears to have previously been married to Sara Livelsberger, a 38-year-old Delray Beach, Florida resident. The Denver Post reports that Matthew Livelsberger divorced in 2018 and remarried in 2022. Sara claimed to be a registered Democrat on Facebook in 2016 and uploaded photographs disparaging President-elect Trump. Although Livelsberger resides in Colorado, he has links in Ohio. According to the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio, Livelsberger received a speeding ticket in Franklin County in September 2011 for driving 70 mph in a 65 mph zone.

The publication said that Livelsberger lived in Westerville. Property documents obtained by The Columbus Dispatch show that he also owns property in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He graduated from Bucyrus High School in Ohio, where he played both baseball and football. However, after apparently being injured while playing football, Livelsberger enlisted in the United States Army and served as a communications officer for the Special Forces. His uncle, Dean Livelsberger, told The Independent that his nephew “was a 100% patriot” and described him as “like a Rambo-type, for lack of a better term.” The Independent reported. Dean claimed his nephew posted patriotic content on Facebook and supported President-elect Trump. Dean reportedly told the publication about his nephew’s explosives skills.

“Matt was a very skilled warrior, and he would be able to make — if it was him, and if he did this — he would’ve been able to make a more sophisticated explosive than using propane tanks and camping fuel,” he allegedly told reporters. “He was considered a’supersoldier.’ If you read about the stuff he was given and the experience he had, part of it makes no sense, especially because he had the talents and abilities to make something more, let’s say, ‘efficient.’ His capabilities were immense based on what he learned in the service.” With those abilities, Dean added, Livelsberger “could have fashioned a bomb that would have obliterated half of that hotel if he seriously wanted to hurt others.” Livelsberger

According to U.S. Army Public Affairs, Livelsberger received the Bronze Star Medal with Valour four times, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Valour three times, the Army Achievement Medal twice, the Army Good Conduct Medal five times, the National Defence Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star three times, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Noncomm.