Matthew Livelsberger's Text Messages Before Cybertruck Explosion Revealed

The Tesla Cybertruck Matthew Livelsberger blew up outside Donald Trump's hotel made him feel like Batman, reveals a text sent shortly before his death, according to local media.

Livelsberger, 37, messaged ex-girlfriend Alicia Arritt about the vehicle before he fatally shot himself inside the Cybertruck which erupted in flames outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day, per the Denver Gazette.

Newsweek has reached out to Alicia Arritt via Facebook and the FBI via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Investigators are currently trying to establish Livelsberger's motive and whether he could have been politically motivated. The text messages reveal some insight into his thinking in the days before his death.

What To Know

Livelsberger's ex-girlfriend Arritt shared screenshots of a text message conversation they had on Sunday morning, three days before his death.

"I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It's the s**t," read a text to Arritt, obtained by the Denver Gazette.

"I feel like Batman or halo," he added, seven minutes later, referring to the science fiction video game franchise.

"How fast is it?" Arritt responded. "Ungodly," Livelsberger wrote.

Livelsberger also bragged to his ex about "building drones" in his new role. "You would love it," he added.

Arritt told the Denver Gazette Livelsberger was "like a kid with a new toy" in a series of texts before the blast. However, she said she found it strange that Livelsberger had reached out given they had split up in 2021.

FBI agents tracked Arritt down after reading the text messages between the pair and informed her that he had also reached out to other ex girlfriends in the days before his death, per the publication.

What Do We Know So Far About Matthew Livelsberger?

Livelsberger is believed to be a 37-year-old U.S. Army veteran who served for over 19 years and was a Green Beret.

He was in the Army's elite special forces unit and three U.S. officials told The Associated Press that he spent time at Fort Liberty—formerly known as Fort Bragg—in North Carolina, which is home to Army special forces command.

In November 2024, he accepted a role as a remote and autonomous systems manager while stationed at Camp Panzer Kaserne just southwest of Stuttgart, Germany. In that job, he helped to integrate drones into the Army and ensured they were operated and maintained to a sufficient standard.

At the time of his death, he was on a break from active duty, which allowed him to return to the U.S.

Livelsberger lived in Colorado Springs before the explosion, but when he was in Ohio in 2011, he was charged with two misdemeanors.

According to documents obtained by Newsweek, Livelsberger got a ticket for speeding in Franklin County, Ohio. The first offense was not provided but the second was listed as "speed—per se—65 mph." Livelsberger paid both of the waivers.

What Do We Know About Matthew Livelsberger's Past Relationships?

Livelsberger dated Arritt for three years between 2018 and 2021, in between his first and second marriage.

"I just want everyone to know that Matt was the kindest man I ever knew," Arritt told the Denver Gazette. She added that he once bought his sick mother a new home.

Arritt has since remarried and had a child, she told the newspaper.

Was Matthew Livelsberger married?

Filings from the Franklin County Probate Court in Ohio show that Matthew Alan Livelsberger and Sara Elizabeth Wilson were issued a wedding license on December 3, 2012. However, a different family member told ABC News that Livelsberger had since divorced and remarried.

A Facebook account linked to Sara Livelsberger made many posts which may be considered left leaning, pro Democrat and expressing a sentiment against President-elect Trump.

The last post on Sara Livelsberger's account is from May 2016, before the 2016 Presidential Election, and Trump's first term in office.

In a May 2016 post, she shared a pro Democrat poster, which came with the slogan "Stop Bigotry," and had an outline of a cartoon head which looks similar to President-elect Trump. The post was captioned: "Look what this lady got in the mail as a SURPRISE! Perks of being a registered Democrat #excitedwoman I can't wait to slap this baby on my truck."

In a post from September 2015, Sara Livelsberger posted a tweet made by President-elect Trump on her Facebook. In the comments she wrote, "I follow his Twitter … Just to get my morning motivation to kill someone."

Sara Livelsberger frequently shared posts about feminism and sexual violence, posting quotes from figures including Gloria Steinem and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

In March of 2016, she shared a clip of Trump speaking. Captioning this she wrote: "Gaslighting is bullsh*** and can be deadly no matter who is doing it. But this clip is nauseating."

In another March post, she wrote: "If you're voting for Trump or Cruz in November you can just stay home or forget it is an election year all together. If I want to be around that sh*t I will go to the closest racist day care and pick out a rich kid not old enough for kindergarten to run the country. Get your sh*t together everyone!"

There has been significant speculation online over Matthew Livelsberger's political affiliations, but his uncle, Dean Livelsberger has told the Independent that his nephew was pro-Trump.

A friend of Sara's, Stacie Wilssens, said he and Sara were "polar opposites," as the wife supported Bernie Sanders while Livelsberger stood with Trump, according to the Daily Mail.

Meanwhile, court records reportedly show that a marriage application was filed in El Paso County, Colorado, on July 8, 2022, for Livelsberger and Jennifer Anne Davis, according to ABC News. Newsweek has not reviewed the records.

Davis reportedly left Livelsberger six days before his death because she suspected he was cheating on her, according to The New York Post.

Livelsberger and Davis share a young child.

What Happens Next

The Las Vegas Police Department said it is still investigating the fire and explosion. Jeremy Schwartz, the acting FBI special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office, also confirmed that the FBI is involved in the investigation.

On Thursday, the FBI confirmed that a search was carried out at a residence in Colorado Springs in connection to the Cybertruck explosion.

Update 1/3/2025, 7:26 a.m. ET: This article was updated to reflect that Newsweek has reached out to the FBI for comment.