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July 08 2:11:00 PM EST
The 18-year-old accused of masterminding a massacre plot that police said was to begin with the killings of three teenagers and then turn to random shootings left a letter for his father that he signed "the antichrist."
In the rambling note, obtained by ABCNEWS affiliate WPVI in Philadelphia, Matthew Lovett touched on such typical teenage complaints as cleaning his room and refusing to get a job, and also claimed that he was adopted, even though he was not.
But then the letter, written by a teenager described by his father as "immature" and by his classmates and others who knew him as quiet and "weird," takes on a violent tone.
"I thought you'd like to know that I am a warrior, I am fighting for mankind's freedom. Freedom from this society," the letter said. "You best be grateful, my original plan was to kill you all ... But I decided that'd be too messy. But it wouldn't bother me any."
The letter was signed: "Sincerely, Me. The one, the now, the antichrist, etc., etc., etc."
Ron Lovett, the 18-year-old's father, said today on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America that he had seen the letter, but he could not remember what it said because he was so upset about his son's arrest.
"I know there's a letter," he said. "I glanced at it. I don't recall what's in it. It was just total shock that whole day."
The references to "mankind's freedom" and "the one," and the fact that the three were dressed in black from head to toe when they were arrested early Sunday in a New Jersey suburb of Philadelphia have led to speculation that the plot was inspired by the Matrix movies, but Ron Lovett would not confirm whether his son had an unusual fascination with the movies.
'He Needs Help'
Matthew Lovett and two boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested early Sunday in Oaklyn, N.J., after an alleged carjacking attempt.
They were carrying rifles, a shotgun and handguns -- all fully loaded -- and also had 2,000 extra rounds of ammunition, as well as machetes, throwing knives, and $300 in cash, police said.
The three are accused of planning to kill three teens and then open fire randomly on other people with the arsenal of weapons they were carrying.
Lovett was ordered held on $1 million bail Monday, while the other two boys were ordered held at a youth detention center. Prosecutors said they would seek to try all three youths as adults.
"This is probably one of the most disturbing things I've ever dealt with in my career," Oaklyn police Chief Christopher Ferrari said.
The 18-year-old's relatives said that despite the guns and 2,000 rounds of ammunition police said the boys had gathered to carry out their plan, Lovett would never have really done the things he is charged with plotting.
"Matthew needs all of our love, and he needs understanding , and he needs help," Lovett's uncle Tom Crymes told ABC affiliate WPVI. "He wrote a nasty note, but I don't believe he would have under any circumstances followed through with that."
Never Pulled a Trigger, Lawyer Says
Lovett's family and his attorney said the 18-year-old was deeply disturbed by his mother's death nine years ago, and described his actions as a cry for help.
"I got a sense there was a very fragile psyche there. There may be some emotional problems," lawyer Craig Mitnick said today on Good Morning America . "We discussed the death of his mom. We'll have some psychological evaluations performed."
Sources told WPVI that the two juveniles seemed very upset about being arrested, and that getting arrested appeared to have been part somehow of Lovett's plan.
Mitnick said that when he talked to the 18-year-old, the teenager seemed to have little understanding of what was happening to him, and appeared to have been unprepared to carry out any attacks.
"He was very emphatic that he never, ever had pulled a trigger on a weapon before in his life and he never ever intended to pull the trigger," Mitnick said. "Of course, the next logical question would be: Then why did you walk out of the home with these loaded weapons? He had no answer for that. Logic doesn't always make sense with teenagers that are somewhat troubled."
Lovett's father disputed the use of the word "troubled," but said his son was "like a 12-year-old in an 18-year-old's body," and confirmed that the boy had had to deal with teasing and taunting of his younger brother, who has a cleft palate.
"This is something that's gone on since they were both old enough to walk down the street together," Ron Lovett said. "It's not one single incident that he would tell about, but I know that they had trouble when they were outside and because Matt had to defend his brother from verbal and physical attack."
'One of Those Kids I Stay Away From'
Lovett and his alleged accomplices had two Collingswood High School classmates on their hit list, police said.
"They had identified targets that they planned to kill, within the community, and then kill as many people as randomly possible until they were stopped," Ferrari said. "They were planning on carrying this mission out."
Some of his Collingswood High School classmates described Lovett as a loner and said they had seen him punch trees and doors for no apparent reason.
"He's just like one of those kids I stay away from," student Eddie Hernandez told WPVI. "One of those weird kids that do something like this."
But his father said that Lovett was misunderstood and that stories had been fabricated about him, such as reports that he walked around carrying a baseball bat.
"My son never owned a baseball bat. He wasn't into sports," Ron Lovett said. "Neither of my children were. I've never seen either of them with any sports equipment. ... My son draws a lot. I have some beautiful pictures of female faces, of countrysides, of animals. He draws everything." ABCNEWS affiliate WPVI in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
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