Alleged QAnon Conspiracy Theorist Accused Of Killing Two Kids With Speargun Reportedly Pens Apology Letter

The man accused of killing his young children for fear that they inherited serpent DNA from their mother is reportedly pleading for forgiveness in a letter he sent from jail.

In August, Matthew Coleman, 40, was arrested by federal agents after allegedly taking his 10-month-old daughter and 2-year-old son to Mexico and killing them with a spearfishing gun. The murders gained widespread coverage when Coleman allegedly told authorities he’d been enlightened by QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories, inciting him to kill the children so he could save the world from monsters, according to court documents.

Now, a longtime friend of Coleman’s has come forward, claiming to have a handwritten letter from the suspect, as reported by People.

“He’s really despondent and hopeless,” said the friend. “He’s alone with his thoughts 24/7. He’s reflecting on the mistakes he made in life and wondering if there’s any chance for redemption.”

The search for Coleman and his children began when Coleman’s wife, Abby, reported concerns after Coleman left the residence with the children on Aug. 7, 2021, according to the Department of Justice. The wife traced his phone to Rosarito, Mexico, some 250 miles from their Santa Barbara, California home. Federal agents met Coleman at the San Ysidro Port of Entry when he returned to the United States without his children two days later.

Agents contacted Rosarito authorities, who confirmed they’d recovered the bodies of two children matching the description of Coleman’s son and daughter. A local farmworker made the gruesome discovery near the El Descano ranch. The infant girl was stabbed 12 times, and the young boy was stabbed 17 times.

Coleman allegedly told federal authorities the killings were motivated by QAnon, the mass delusion alleging the undermining of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s term in office by cannibalistic, Satan-worshipping pedophiles. The F.B.I named the radical, far-right movement as a domestic terrorist threat, according to 2019 documents obtained by Yahoo News.

Last August, Coleman was court-mandated to undergo a psychological evaluation to determine whether or not he was fit to stand trial.

Those closest to Coleman, including his own wife, were shocked by Coleman’s actions. A family friend told People that Coleman's wife “didn’t see this coming.” Matthew Coleman was a surf instructor and owner of the Lovewater Surf Co. in Santa Barbara. The website, which has since been taken down, shared photos of Coleman, his family, and students on several wave-riding adventures. 

“He poured out his heart,” said the friend who received Coleman’s jailhouse letter. “He begged for forgiveness but says that he’s now where he deserves to be.”

In September, Colman was indicted by a federal grand jury, charging him with two counts of foreign first-degree murder of United States nationals.

If convicted, the charges make Coleman eligible for the death penalty, according to the Department of Justice. A trial date has yet to be scheduled but will be held in a U.S. District Court in San Diego.