Alleged QAnon Killer Matthew Taylor Coleman, Charged with Speargun Murder of His Children, Attempts Self-Mutilation in Jail

Alleged QAnon killer Matthew Taylor Coleman, charged with speargun murder of his children, attempts self-mutilation in jail. Read about the latest in

California Man Accused of Killing His Children Shows Disturbing Behavior in Federal Custody

 

Matthew Taylor Coleman, the California surf instructor and QAnon adherent accused of killing his two young children, has exhibited alarming self-destructive behavior while in federal custody. Court records reveal that Coleman, who is facing charges for the 2021 murders of his children, Kaleo, 2, and Roxy, 10 months, has repeatedly attempted to harm himself while being held in a federal medical facility.

 

Coleman has reportedly engaged in acts of self-mutilation, including cutting himself with a razor, diving headfirst into a toilet, punching himself in the face, and repeatedly slamming his head against the floor. These actions have led authorities to place him under constant observation and begin administering medication against his will, according to court documents.

 

A prison physician has diagnosed Coleman with unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychiatric disorders. The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California has filed a court document noting that Coleman is unable to comprehend the charges against him or participate effectively in his defense. He has been under medication since May 2023.

 

The disturbing case began on August 7, 2021, when Coleman, who was preparing for a family trip, abruptly left his Santa Barbara home with his children. Authorities say Coleman transported his children across the border into Mexico, where they stayed at a resort hotel for two days before he took them to a farm. There, he allegedly used a spearfishing gun to fatally stab them and then abandoned their bodies.

 

Coleman was apprehended upon his attempt to return to the United States. He has been charged with two counts of murdering US nationals on foreign soil and has pleaded not guilty. His defense is being handled by a court-appointed attorney, who did not respond to requests for comment.

 

At the time of his arrest, Coleman reportedly told federal agents that he believed his children needed to be sacrificed due to a QAnon conspiracy theory claiming they possessed serpent DNA. Coleman described experiencing delusions, likening his revelations to the film “The Matrix,” where he believed he was the character Neo, seeing hidden truths about his family.

 

According to the affidavit released during his arrest, Coleman expressed paranoia that his wife, Abby Coleman, and their children were carriers of corrupted DNA that posed a threat to humanity. He also questioned whether his wife might be a shapeshifter.

 

In the wake of the tragedy, Abby Coleman returned to her home state of Texas, where she now lives with her family. Friends and acquaintances of Coleman have expressed shock and disbelief over the allegations, noting that he appeared normal and only showed signs of intensity that did not suggest his eventual actions.

 

“I really had no idea,” said Deb Fletcher, whose son took surf lessons from Coleman before the murders. “He could be intense, but nothing that would indicate that he was so mentally off. I wonder if he just snapped.”

 

A family friend who grew up with Coleman added, “This came out of nowhere. He always seemed normal. I wish we had known that this was coming. It’s really sad.”