Matthew Livelsberger Seemed ‘Normal’ Before Cybertruck Explosion: Neighbors

Neighbors said Matthew Livelsberger, named as a suspect in the New Year’s Day Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, seemed “normal.” Why It Matters Livelsberger was a 37-year-old U.S. Army veteran who officials believe shot himself in the back of the head before the car burst into flames on Wednesday outside the hotel. The local sheriff said the body inside the Cybertruck was burned “almost beyond recognition” and authorities still don’t have a “100 percent” confirmation that it’s Livelsberger. The incident is being investigated as a potential terrorist attack, with investigators currently trying to establish the motive and whether it could have been politically motivated. What To Know Cindy Helwig, a resident in the Colorado Springs town house complex where Livelsberger lived with his wife and child, told The Gazette that she was shocked to learn he was a suspect. “He seemed like a normal guy,” she said. “His wife is awesome, too. I never expected anything like that. I would never have thought it would have been him.” Helwig said the neighborhood is typically quiet and peaceful. “This is a good neighborhood; you never have issues,” she added. “I’m a little worried now. I hope things get better.” Neighbor Keni Mac said she would see the family at Homeowners Association (HOA) meetings. “They seem like good people,” Mac said “They’re a normal young couple with a family. They always have their windows open; they’re in and out with their dog. Doesn’t seem [like] they’re hiding anything.” Another neighbor described Livelsberger as “quiet but polite.” However, Stacie Wilssens, a close friend of Livelsberger’s ex-wife Sara, offered a contrasting depiction of the U.S. Army veteran, describing him to The Gazette as “bizarre and unhealthy.” Wilssens said Sara was often alone when her husband was deployed overseas, leaving her depressed. “She [Sara] was trying to get healthy and he would mock her,” Wilssens said. “He preyed on her,” adding that the couple, who divorced in 2018, were “polar opposites.” Dean Livelsberger, Livelsberger’s uncle, told The Independent that his nephew was “very patriotic, “loved [President-elect Donald] Trump,” and was a “supersoldier” who “could have fashioned a bomb that would have obliterated half of that hotel if he seriously wanted to hurt others.” Police tape blocks off a section of townhomes as investigators search a home in northeastern Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Thursday as the investigation connected to the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trump’s… Police tape blocks off a section of townhomes as investigators search a home in northeastern Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Thursday as the investigation connected to the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel continues. Suspect Matthew Livelsberger lived in the development with his wife and child. Parker Seibold /The Gazette via AP What People Are Saying Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, on X, formerly Twitter: “After the [Cybertruck] explosion at the Trump Tower this morning, law enforcement has confirmed that there is no active threat to the community at this time and this appears an isolated incident.” What Happens Next The incident remains under investigation. Jeremy Schwartz, acting FBI Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas office, confirmed that the agency is involved in the investigation at a press conference on Wednesday. The Cybertruck explosion took place just hours after 14 people were killed in New Orleans, Louisiana, after suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran who had pledged support for the Islamic State group (ISIS), deliberately crashed his vehicle into a crowd on Bourbon Street. Jabbar was shot dead during an exchange of gunfire with police. On Thursday, the FBI said they were still investigating but have found “no definitive link” between the two incidents. Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.