The uncle of the active-duty Special Forces soldier believed to have died in the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day has spoken out about his nephew.
Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was “a 100 percent patriot,” described as “like a Rambo-type, for lack of a better word,” according to Dean Livelsberger, who spoke to The Independent.
Dean, the younger brother of Matthew’s father, Roger, is an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam.
“He had all kinds of patriotic stuff on Facebook—he was 100 percent about loving this country,” Dean said of his nephew. “He loved Trump, and he was always a very, very patriotic soldier, a patriotic American. That’s one reason he stayed in Special Forces for so many years. It wasn’t just one tour of duty.”
Dean recalled calling Matthew when he first heard about the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas, prior to Matthew being identified as a suspect or victim.
Initially, Dean thought the explosion might have been caused by a “lithium battery short-circuiting or something.” However, when he learned that his nephew had been in the vehicle and that the explosion was caused by an improvised device made from propane tanks, fireworks, and camping fuel, he was left with unanswered questions.
“Matt was a very skilled warrior. If he was responsible — and that’s still an ‘if’ — he would have been capable of creating something far more sophisticated than using propane tanks and camping fuel,” Dean said. “He was what you might call a ‘supersoldier.’ If you look at the awards he received and his military experience, it doesn’t quite add up. He had the skills to make something much more efficient.”
Dean added that if Matthew had wanted to create a bomb with significant destructive power, he could have done so. “Think of Oklahoma City,” he said, referring to Timothy McVeigh. “McVeigh was just a normal soldier, not a Tier 1 operator like Matt.”
Related: Police release crime scene photos, details from Cybertruck explosion
Matthew Livelsberger joined the Army in 2006, serving 19 years—18 of them in Special Forces. He attained the rank of master sergeant and earned numerous awards, including five Bronze Stars (one with a valor device for courage under fire), a Combat Infantryman Badge, and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.
He deployed twice to Afghanistan and took part in assignments in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and the Congo, according to the Army.
At the time of the incident, Livelsberger was stationed in Germany and on leave in Colorado Springs. He had rented the Cybertruck and driven to Nevada.
© 2025 The Salty Soldier All rights reserved.
The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of TheSaltySoldier.com.
