Matthew Livelsberger suffered "head injuries" that he had to hide from his Army superiors, his ex-girlfriend Alicia Arritt said in an interview with NBC News on Friday.
A few days before he exploded a rented Cybertruck outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day, Livelsberger reached out to Arritt for the first time since 2022, she told NBC News.
On New Years Eve, Arritt said Livelsberger texted her photos of his rented Cybertruck. "I feel like Batman or halo," he wrote. "It's the s---."
Arritt didn't realize Livelsberger had exploded the truck he sent her photos of until two days later, when FBI arrived at her home and informed her of the incident. "It was awful to learn about it," she told NBC.
Arritt was in an on-again-off-again relationship with Livelsberger for three years beginning in 2018. While she couldn't determine a motive for her ex-boyfriend's actions, she said he struggled with injuries he sustained in the army.
"We talked about it a little bit, but I think he was ashamed of it," she said. "Ashamed of the memory loss and head injuries. He couldn't seek treatment for it while he was still active duty. He was worried that if he did, then that would impact his career."
Arritt also said Livelsberger suffered from concentration issues and headaches, per NBC.
In a press conference on Friday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police released notes found in Livelsberger's phone in which he said his "stunt" was a "wake up call" for the country.
Also on Friday, the FBI said Livelsberger's suffered from "PTSD."
"Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues," the FBI said.
Originally published by Latin Times
