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Army Soldier Suspected in Las Vegas Trump Hotel Explosion That Left One Dead
Authorities have identified a decorated U.S. Army soldier as the prime suspect in an explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. The blast, which killed one person and injured seven bystanders, has left investigators searching for answers, including the motive behind the incident.
Explosion Details
The explosion occurred at approximately 8:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday when a rented Tesla Cybertruck parked at the hotel valet burst into flames. According to officials, the vehicle carried an improvised explosive device in its bed. The victim, whose body was found in the truck, is believed to be 37-year-old Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a master sergeant in the U.S. Army’s elite special forces.
Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said Livelsberger rented the vehicle through Turo, an online platform, and had traveled from Colorado to Las Vegas before the incident. Tesla provided vehicle data, including its movements, which showed stops at charging stations along Interstate 40 in New Mexico and Arizona.
Videos from the scene captured the chaotic moments as flames engulfed the vehicle, filling the air with smoke while first responders raced to help. Seven bystanders sustained minor injuries.
Suspect and Evidence
Authorities found military identification, a passport, and credit cards in Livelsberger's name at the scene. Although the body was burned beyond recognition, tattoos on the stomach and arms matched Livelsberger’s known markings. A .50-caliber Desert Eagle and a semiautomatic pistol were also recovered from the scene, along with the components of the explosive device, which included fireworks, mortars, and aerial shells.
Sheriff McMahill revealed that the body had an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and a firearm was located at the body’s feet. Investigators are awaiting DNA confirmation to officially identify the remains.
Military Career and Background
Livelsberger, a Colorado Springs resident, was a decorated Green Beret and part of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. He had been on approved leave from his base in Germany at the time of the incident.
His distinguished military career began in 2006 and included deployments to the Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. Livelsberger was awarded multiple Bronze Star medals, one with valor for acts of bravery in combat.
Officials are investigating whether his military experiences played a role in the explosion, with one tip suggesting a connection to his time in service.
Connection to New Orleans Incident
Just hours before the Las Vegas explosion, a separate incident unfolded in New Orleans, where a driver in a rented truck plowed into New Year’s Eve revelers on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring over 30 before being fatally shot by police. The driver, also a U.S. Army veteran, displayed an Islamic State flag in the truck.
Although both incidents involve military veterans and rented vehicles from the same platform, authorities have not found a definitive link. “If these turn out to be similarities, they are very strange coincidences to have,” McMahill said.
Investigation and Assistance
Federal agents are searching Livelsberger’s Colorado Springs residence as part of their investigation. The FBI confirmed the activity is tied to the Las Vegas explosion but declined to share further details.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk provided assistance by sharing vehicle telemetry data, confirming that the explosion was unrelated to the Cybertruck itself. Musk clarified on social media that the blast was caused by large fireworks or a bomb in the vehicle’s bed.
Turo, the rental platform used for both the Las Vegas and New Orleans vehicles, is cooperating with investigators. “We do not believe either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as security threats,” the company said.
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