QAnon conspiracy theories are going beyond race, the election, and COVID-19. After falling into QAnon-promoted DNA conspiracy theories, authorities say a man identified as Matthew Taylor Coleman confessed to murdering his two young children in Mexico. According to a law enforcement affidavit filed in court, Coleman told investigators he thought they would "grow into monsters, he had to kill them.”
The California surfing school owner was charged Wednesday with foreign murder of U.S. nationals in connection with the death of his 2-year-old son and his 10-month-old daughter, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Authorities said Coleman confessed to the FBI that he used a spearfishing gun to stab them after conspiracy theories “enlightened” him and revealed signs that his wife had passed down her "serpent DNA" to the children, NBC News reported.
"M. Coleman was asked whether he knew what he did was wrong," Special Agent Jennifer Bannon wrote in the affidavit. "M. Coleman stated that he knew it was wrong, but it was the only course of action that would save the world."
The interview took place at a Mexican border checkpoint where Coleman was detained Monday. "He explained that he was enlightened by QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories and was receiving visions and signs revealing that his wife, A.C., possessed serpent DNA and had passed it on to his children," according to the affidavit. After the FBI was alerted to a possible kidnapping, an inspection by border protection agents of his van during his reentry into the U.S. didn’t find any children, but found blood in the vehicle.
While it is unclear how Coleman was convinced to kill his children after hearing these theories, his wife reported him and their two children missing after he took off with them in the family car last Saturday, the affidavit said. She told Santa Barbara police the family had planned to go on a camping trip but instead, Coleman left without telling her where he was going. According to the affidavit, while his wife did not think he would harm the children, she was concerned because he did not have a car seat for either child.
During his interview with an FBI agent, Coleman said he used a box as a car seat. According to CBS News he is accused of dumping the children's bodies in a ditch near Rosarito. According to the affidavit, he not only confessed to the killings Monday but gave authorities the location of the murder weapon and where he discarded bloody clothing. He also identified two bodies recovered by Mexican authorities as that of his children.
The news came as a shock to family members and Coleman's wife, who said "they did not have any sort of argument" before he left.
A member of Coleman’s local surf scene told The Daily Beast he trusted Coleman enough that he “would have handed him my own kids in a second, to take them surfing. I’ve never heard of one parent complain about his program. So...it just doesn’t make any sense.”
According to ABC News, Mexican and U.S. authorities are working together to return the children’s bodies home and investigate the incident further.
“A joint investigation is underway among the Santa Barbara Police Department, the FBI in Los Angeles, and San Diego, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Mexican authorities,” the FBI said in a statement.
A judge ordered that Coleman be held without bond Wednesday and scheduled his arraignment for Aug. 31.
According to NBC News, Coleman’s claims about “Serpent DNA” can be tied to bizarre and false “reptilian” conspiracy theories which claim that influential people are human-lizard hybrids that have taken over important positions secretly across the world.
According to the affidavit, Coleman told authorities he learned of the theory through QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories. While the lizard theory predates both by decades, blends of the theory have been shared by both across social media platforms.
QAnon theories have recently gained some popularity in the U.S. with many claiming that top government officials are secretly murdering and eating children while Donald Trump was quietly working to defeat them during his time in office. The belief system has inspired violence and crime across the country, with many of its believers part of the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Law enforcement officials have raised concern over QAnon repeatedly, with many social media platforms also working to ban groups that further that agenda.
The California surfing school owner was charged Wednesday with foreign murder of U.S. nationals in connection with the death of his 2-year-old son and his 10-month-old daughter, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Authorities said Coleman confessed to the FBI that he used a spearfishing gun to stab them after conspiracy theories “enlightened” him and revealed signs that his wife had passed down her "serpent DNA" to the children, NBC News reported.
"M. Coleman was asked whether he knew what he did was wrong," Special Agent Jennifer Bannon wrote in the affidavit. "M. Coleman stated that he knew it was wrong, but it was the only course of action that would save the world."
The interview took place at a Mexican border checkpoint where Coleman was detained Monday. "He explained that he was enlightened by QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories and was receiving visions and signs revealing that his wife, A.C., possessed serpent DNA and had passed it on to his children," according to the affidavit. After the FBI was alerted to a possible kidnapping, an inspection by border protection agents of his van during his reentry into the U.S. didn’t find any children, but found blood in the vehicle.
While it is unclear how Coleman was convinced to kill his children after hearing these theories, his wife reported him and their two children missing after he took off with them in the family car last Saturday, the affidavit said. She told Santa Barbara police the family had planned to go on a camping trip but instead, Coleman left without telling her where he was going. According to the affidavit, while his wife did not think he would harm the children, she was concerned because he did not have a car seat for either child.
During his interview with an FBI agent, Coleman said he used a box as a car seat. According to CBS News he is accused of dumping the children's bodies in a ditch near Rosarito. According to the affidavit, he not only confessed to the killings Monday but gave authorities the location of the murder weapon and where he discarded bloody clothing. He also identified two bodies recovered by Mexican authorities as that of his children.
The news came as a shock to family members and Coleman's wife, who said "they did not have any sort of argument" before he left.
A member of Coleman’s local surf scene told The Daily Beast he trusted Coleman enough that he “would have handed him my own kids in a second, to take them surfing. I’ve never heard of one parent complain about his program. So...it just doesn’t make any sense.”
According to ABC News, Mexican and U.S. authorities are working together to return the children’s bodies home and investigate the incident further.
“A joint investigation is underway among the Santa Barbara Police Department, the FBI in Los Angeles, and San Diego, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Mexican authorities,” the FBI said in a statement.
A judge ordered that Coleman be held without bond Wednesday and scheduled his arraignment for Aug. 31.
According to NBC News, Coleman’s claims about “Serpent DNA” can be tied to bizarre and false “reptilian” conspiracy theories which claim that influential people are human-lizard hybrids that have taken over important positions secretly across the world.
According to the affidavit, Coleman told authorities he learned of the theory through QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories. While the lizard theory predates both by decades, blends of the theory have been shared by both across social media platforms.
QAnon theories have recently gained some popularity in the U.S. with many claiming that top government officials are secretly murdering and eating children while Donald Trump was quietly working to defeat them during his time in office. The belief system has inspired violence and crime across the country, with many of its believers part of the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Law enforcement officials have raised concern over QAnon repeatedly, with many social media platforms also working to ban groups that further that agenda.