Ex of Soldier Who Blew Up Tesla Suspects He Had a TBI

Reports are mounting that the active-duty Green Beret behind the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas was likely suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Matthew Livelsberger, 37, had received the Bronze Star five times, once for valor under fire. The AP calls his military record "exemplary"—but notes he "struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers." A source tells the AP he had recently sought out treatment for depression from the Army. More:

• The AP reports former girlfriend Alicia Arritt, 39, said Livelsberger told her he experienced concussions, significant pain, and exhaustion. Her work at the largest US military medical facility in Europe had her treating troops who had suffered traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, and she says she saw symptoms of TBI in Livelsberger when they began dating in 2018. "He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss," Arritt said. She said he brushed off her suggestions at the time that he seek treatment, saying that if he was found medically unfit he would be prevented from deploying.

• The Washington Post quotes Spencer L. Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI's Las Vegas field office, as saying of Livelsberger, "He likely suffered from PTSD, and we are also aware that there were potential other family issues. It ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide."
• The Post also spoke with Arritt, who says the two broke up in 2021 because she didn't want to have to move frequently for his work, and because he didn't want to be a stepfather to her son. She described him as "incredibly intelligent," "never mean," and politically moderate. She also noted he had back surgery while they dated to deal with pain caused by parachuting out of planes.
• Speaking to his character, an Afghan interpreter who worked with his unit tells the Post that when he received a visa to settle in the US in 2013, Livelsberger was waiting for him at the airport and launched a fundraiser to support his family's new life in Denver.
• Police have shared some of the contents of notes left on Livelsberger's phone, which they say conveyed a "variety of ... grievances and issues—some political, some personal." The New York Times quotes one as reading, "Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took." (Read more on the notes here.)