Teddy Joseph Von Nukem Explained

Teddy Joseph Von Nukem
Birth Name:Ted Landrum
Birth Date:23 November 1987
Birth Place:Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Death Cause:Suicide by gunshot
Death Place:Hartshorn, Missouri, U.S.
Known For:White nationalism
Children:5

Teddy Joseph Von Nukem (born Ted Landrum, November 23, 1987 – January 30, 2023) was an American white nationalist and far-right extremist, and drug smuggler, noted for his role at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In March 2021, Von Nukem admitted to attempted drug smuggling after being arrested at the Mexico–United States border. He failed to show up for a January 30, 2023, court appearance in Arizona, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot injury the same day.

Early life

Nukem was born Ted Landrum on November 23, 1987, in Phoenix, Arizona.[1] [2] [3] He was of German heritage and attended middle school in Lebanon, Missouri.[4] One of his former classmates remembered him as a "smart 'token goth kid' and 'highly intelligent' history buff with an unsettling interest in Nazi Germany".

Adult life

Von Nukem was a far-right extremist and a white nationalist who changed his name to that of video-game character Duke Nukem in 2012.[5] A photograph of him holding a tiki torch at the Unite the Right rally became the image that was most commonly used to represent the 2017 right-wing protest in Charlottesville, Virginia. In the photograph he stands next to a screaming man who was later identified as University of Nevada student Peter Cvjetanovic. Journalist Molly Conger identified Von Nukem as part of a mob that assaulted DeAndre Harris, a Black counter-protester, at the Charlottesville event.[6] [7]

Nukem owned a sales training company, AnCap Incorporated (a portmanteau of anarcho-capitalism), and aspired to be a Member of Congress.[8] Nukem was arrested near the Mexico–United States border at Lukeville Port of Entry in March 2021; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents said he had 14 packages containing 33 pounds of fentanyl in his vehicle.[9] Von Nukem admitted attempting to smuggle drugs, but denied knowledge that the product was fentanyl.[10]

He failed to attend a scheduled Arizona District Court appearance on January 30, 2023, prompting judge Rosemary Márquez to issue an arrest warrant. He was facing federal charges.[11] Within one hour, his wife telephoned the court to inform them of an emergency at the Von Nukem family home after finding his body in the snow behind a hay shed. The case was dismissed on February 10, 2023.

Von Nukem was married with four daughters and a son, and resided in Hartshorn, Missouri.[12] He was a supporter of libertarianism and believed that "white people are disadvantaged in the arena of identity politics."

Death

Von Nukem killed himself at his home in Missouri on January 30, 2023.[13] His death occurred on the same day he was due to stand trial for drug-related criminal charges. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound from a handgun.[14] He was aged 35 at the time of his death.

Marie Lasater, the Texas County coroner, confirmed his death was suicide. His body was cremated after his funeral.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: February 12, 2023 . Obituary Teddy Joseph Von Nukem of Hartshorn, Missouri Bradford Funeral Home . February 15, 2023 . February 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230212231854/https://www.bradfordfuneralhome.net/obituary/teddy-von-nukem . bot: unknown .
  2. Web site: Jess . Steve . February 15, 2023 . White nationalist dies before Tucson trial . February 15, 2023 . . en . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215171253/https://news.azpm.org/p/newsheadlines/2023/2/15/214910-white-nationalist-dies-before-tucson-trial/ . live .
  3. Web site: Labere . Lachlan . 2017-08-23 . Peaceful Nazi still a Nazi . . en-CA.
  4. Web site: Pagliery . Jose . February 14, 2023 . Charlottesville Tiki Torcher Killed Himself Before Drug Smuggling Trial . February 15, 2023 . . en-US . February 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230214225444/https://www.thedailybeast.com/charlottesville-tiki-torcher-teddy-joseph-von-nukem-killed-himself-before-trial . live .
  5. Web site: Rossman . Sean . August 17, 2017 . This torch-wielding protester renamed himself after action-video game character Duke Nukem . February 15, 2023 . . en-US . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215043852/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/08/17/torch-wielding-protestor-renamed-himself-after-action-video-game-character-duke-nukem/577215001/ . live .
  6. Web site: 2023-02-15 . Far-right extremist at centre of 2017 Charlottesville march 'dies days before trial' . 2023-08-18 . . en.
  7. News: Bella . Timothy . 2023-02-15 . Unite the Right marcher captured in viral photo dies by suicide before trial . The Washington Post.
  8. Web site: Zhu . Alissa . August 16, 2017 . Southwest Missouri man identified as Charlottesville demonstrator in viral photo . February 15, 2023 . . en-US . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215062149/https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2017/08/16/southwest-missouri-man-identified-charlottesville-demonstrator-viral-photo/568931001/ . live .
  9. Web site: February 15, 2023 . Extremista de direita no centro da marcha de Charlottesville em 2017 'morre dias antes do julgamento por tráfico de fentanil' . February 15, 2023 . G7 News . pt-BR . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215185720/https://g7.news/noticias/2023/02/15/extremista-de-direita-no-centro-da-marcha-de-charlottesville-em-2017-morre-dias-antes-do-julgamento-por-trafico-de-fentanil . live .
  10. Web site: Sakar . Alisha Rahaman . February 15, 2023 . Far-right extremist at centre of 2017 Charlottesville march 'dies days before trial' . February 15, 2023 . . en . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215062402/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/charlottesville-march-2017-teddy-nukem-dead-b2282470.html . live .
  11. Web site: 2023-02-15 . Southern Missouri man made famous by white supremacist rally photo dies at 35 . 2023-02-15 . KSMU Radio . en . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215194809/https://www.ksmu.org/news/2023-02-15/southern-missouri-man-made-famous-by-white-supremacist-rally-photo-dies-at-35 . live .
  12. Web site: Niemietz . Brian . February 15, 2023 . Far-right activist Teddy Von Nukem reportedly dead by suicide . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215185133/https://www.swoknews.com/ap/national/far-right-activist-teddy-von-nukem-reportedly-dead-by-suicide/article_3dac1aaa-5026-5902-8404-4f619c9c8b50.html . February 15, 2023 . February 15, 2023 . . en.
  13. News: Bella . Timothy . February 15, 2023 . Unite the Right marcher captured in viral photo dies by suicide before trial . en-US . . February 15, 2023 . 0190-8286 . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215194808/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/02/15/unite-the-right-teddy-von-nukem-death/ . live .
  14. Web site: Rose . Andy . 2023-02-16 . Man seen in photo at violent Charlottesville rally kills self on eve of trial on drug charges . 2023-02-16 . CNN . en . February 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216065401/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/16/us/von-nukem-suicide-drug-charges/index.html . live .

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