WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania man set to be sentenced in April for his role in the Capitol riot died last week by suicide, according to his obituary.
Matthew Lawrence Perna, 37, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in November to four counts, including one felony count of obstruction of an official proceeding. Perna entered his plea without accepting an offer from the Department of Justice, and potentially faced years in prison on the felony count.
Perna was scheduled to be sentenced on April 1 before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates. While the Justice Department had until March 24 to file its sentencing memo, other defendants who’ve pleaded guilty to the same felony obstruction charge – like Olympian Klete Keller – have faced recommended sentences of upward of two years in prison.
Over the weekend, however, the John Flynn Funeral Home and Crematory in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, posted an obituary for Perna. In the obituary, Perna’s family blamed his death on the negative consequences of his arrest and the delays and postponements in his case.
“His community (which he loved), his country, and the justice system killed his spirit and his zest for life,” they wrote.
His family noted Perna "attended the rally on January 6, 2021 to peacefully stand up for his beliefs. ... He entered the Capitol through a previously opened door (he did not break in as was reported) where he was ushered in by police. He didn’t break, touch, or steal anything. He did not harm anyone, as he stayed within the velvet ropes taking pictures."
Perna and a co-defendant, Stephen Ayres, were charged in January 2021 after Perna was identified in part thanks to his appearance in a live video of the riot by far-right streamer Tim “Baked Alaska” Gionet. A witness also told the FBI they had seen posts from Perna about his support for the QAnon conspiracy theory and indicating he had recently purchased a handgun.
Ayres has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case.
If you or a loved one is currently in immediate crisis, please call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, at 800-273-8255. A person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support and share any resources that may be helpful, according to the website.
At least two other Capitol riot defendants have died while awaiting trial or sentencing in the case. In June, 35-year-old Joseph Cable Barnes, of Austin, Texas, was killed in a motorcycle crash. Another defendant, 61-year-old John Steven Anderson, of St. Augustine, Florida, died in September. Anderson was awaiting trial on allegations he assaulted police on Jan. 6.
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