Days before a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas in a shocking New Year’s Day incident, the driver sent seemingly innocent messages to his ex-girlfriend, comparing himself to Batman and marveling at the vehicle’s capabilities, according to exclusive interviews and documents obtained by New York Post.
The final days of Matthew Livelsberger
In what would become his final communications, Livelsberger reached out to his former girlfriend, Alicia Arritt, sharing his excitement about the futuristic vehicle he had recently rented. “I feel like Batman or Halo,” Livelsberger wrote in messages reviewed by reporters, displaying what Arritt described as childlike enthusiasm for his new rental.
“I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It’s the s***,” Livelsberger wrote, continuing to send photos and music videos featuring the vehicle through New Year’s Eve. When Arritt inquired about the vehicle’s speed, Livelsberger’s response was succinct: “Ungodly.”
The messages came as a surprise to Arritt, who hadn’t maintained regular contact with Livelsberger following what she characterized as a “painful” breakup in 2021. Their lives had taken different paths—Livelsberger had married and become a father to a baby daughter, while Arritt focused on single motherhood.
“The conversations were strange to hear from him out of the blue,” Arritt told reporters, noting that their relationship had been firmly in the past. During their exchange, Livelsberger also mentioned his professional life, writing, “I’m building drones in my new position… You would love it.”
The tragic culmination
The seemingly innocent messages took on a darker significance when, on New Year’s Day, Livelsberger took his own life inside the Cybertruck moments before it exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel property. The incident has sparked intense investigation by local and federal authorities.
According to The Denver Gazette, which first reported details of the messages, Arritt had no indication of Livelsberger’s intentions. What appeared to be casual enthusiasm for a new vehicle—”like”a kid with a new toy,” as she described it—has now become crucial evidence in understanding the events leading up to the explosion.
The investigation into the incident continues as authorities work to piece together the sequence of events and potential motivations behind Livelsberger’s actions. Local law enforcement officials have declined to comment on specific details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.