'Feel Like Batman’: US Army Vet’s Text to Ex After Renting Tesla Cybertruck He Blew Up in Nevada

Days before Matthew Livelsberger drove a Tesla Cybertruck filled with explosives to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas and took his own life, he reached out to his ex, Alicia Arritt. 

“I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It’s the s***,” Livelsberger wrote to Arritt from Denver on the morning of December 29. Over the following days, he shared photos and music videos of the truck, describing it as “ungodly” fast.

Arritt, who hadn’t spoken to Livelsberger in years following a difficult breakup in 2021, was surprised but glad to hear from him. “It was strange, but I didn’t think anything of it at the time,” she said.

Livelsberger’s life took a dark turn in the days leading up to New Year’s Day, culminating in the explosion outside the hotel—a baffling act that left his family, neighbors, and friends searching for answers.

A soldier’s complicated journey

Livelsberger, 36, was a Green Beret who served 19 years in the military, including tours in the Middle East. He sustained a traumatic brain injury during his service, which his ex-girlfriend believes contributed to his struggles.

“His behavior changed after 2019,” Arritt recalled. “He became withdrawn. It’s not acceptable to seek treatment when you’re in Special Forces.”

Livelsberger’s text messages to Arritt provided a glimpse into his mindset but no indication of the tragedy to come. He spoke about building drones in his new job and reminisced about shared interests.

The texts took on a chilling significance when Arritt learned of Livelsberger’s death. Investigators told her they identified his body by a tattoo of a World War II plane on his arm.

A puzzling act of violence

On New Year’s Day, Livelsberger parked the Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel and took his own life seconds before the vehicle exploded. Authorities later confirmed the truck contained explosives.

Livelsberger’s motives remain unclear. Politically, he was a conservative, but friends and family are struggling to reconcile his act with his past.

“Matt was the kindest man I ever knew,” Arritt said. “He got me through a difficult time.”

Neighbors in his Colorado Springs townhome complex expressed shock. “He seemed like a normal guy,” said Cindy Helwig, who lived nearby.

Unanswered questions

The FBI has been working to piece together Livelsberger’s final days, tracking text messages and interviews with those who knew him. Arritt revealed that she wasn’t the only ex-girlfriend he contacted before the explosion.

Though she feels immense guilt, Arritt believes there was little she could have done to stop him. “I don’t know if I could have stopped him,” she said.