Naman Shrestha
Investigation Discovery’s ‘Hollywood Demons: Dark Side of the Power Rangers’ focuses on the controversial lives and careers of the actors behind the Power Rangers masks. One of the primary subjects of the episode was the fan-favorite Jason David Frank, who died by suicide in November 2021. However, a few years before his demise, an armed man named Matthew Sterling planned to kill the actor in 2017, but thanks to the intervention from law enforcement, the attacker was taken into custody before he could harm Jason.
Matthew Sterling Made an Attempt to Kill Jason David Frank at the Phoenix ComicCon
In the 2010s, the ‘Power Rangers’ star Jason David Frank used to show up at ComicCon events across the nation for a little meet and greet with his fans. At the 2017 Phoenix ComicCon, which was held on May 25 at the Phoenix Convention Center, he came close to his death. Disguised as one of his fans was 29-year-old Matthew Sterling, who arrived at the event with body armor, a stun gun, two .45 handguns, a set of throwing stars, a 12-gauge shotgun, a combat knife, pepper spray, a revolver, and an elaborate plan to execute the famed actor. Before Matthew could cause any harm to Jason or others, the Phoenix police were reportedly tipped off by a female friend of the attacker after she learned of his plans on social media.
After locating the man wearing ‘The Punisher’ shirt was grappled and arrested on the first floor of the convention center. According to reports, he even threatened to attack cops at the event. When the authorities searched him and his possessions, they were shocked by the amount of arsenal he was carrying. Upon going through his phone, they discovered that he had set a reminder to “Kill JDF at ComicCon.” During the interrogation, he revealed that by “JDF,” he meant Jason David Frank. He also expressed his disdain for the actor because of his alleged cocaine addiction.
Matthew elaborated, “I definitely do not care for him. I can’t stand him. He’s not a Power Ranger, he’s evil…I have a hatred for what he is. He’s a corrupted Power Ranger.” The attacker even claimed that he considered himself the real-life version of The Punisher. The police also found evidence of him perfecting a kill shot at his house that further confirmed his plan to kill Jason. Ultimately, he was charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted aggravated assault, aggravated assault of an officer, resisting arrest, misconduct with body armor, and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place. A couple of years later, Jason said that he had already forgiven Matthew. He told 12 News, “Do I want him to serve jail time and get mental help? Absolutely.”
Matthew Sterling is Currently Serving His Sentence at an Arizona Hospital
At his one-day bench trial in December 2019, Matthew Sterling pleaded guilty, but insane, of planning to attack Jason David Frank at the 2017 Phoenix ComicCon. After multiple evaluations of his mental health by the defense as well as the prosecution, a verdict was reached in January 2020 in Maricopa County Superior Court. The attacker was finally found “guilty except insane” for his crimes and sentenced to spend 25 years in a hospital.
Content with the verdict, the defense attorney stated, “He’ll have a hearing in four to five months to see what his status is at that time. If he’s deemed at some point to be restored to sanity, there are three things they can do. They can let him out, but he’s still under the supervision of the state mental board (and) they can throw him back in any time they want. They can let him out under supervision, where he has to take meds or attend counseling. Or, if they think he’s totally restored but just a danger to society, they can send him to the Department of Corrections to finish his (sentence).” From what we can tell, he is currently held at the psychiatric wing at Arizona State Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.
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