![\"A](\"https:\/\/ktla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-mug-or-photo-crop-2026-02-23T131745.825.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Rodeway Inn motel as seen in a Google Street View photo.<\/p>\n
Per the complaint, law enforcement was able to obtain emergency disclosures and located both Pysher and Minor Victim One at the motel.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso inside the room [were] condoms, a knife, lubricant, razor blades, bloody tissues and an American Airlines boarding pass for Flight AA827 from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in Pysher\u2019s name,\u201d the complaint states.\u00a0A faraday bag, which blocks electronic signals, was also found near Pysher\u2019s cell phone.<\/p>\n
In the wake of the young girl\u00a0being found in\u00a0Castaic, she told law enforcement that Pysher\u00a0came to California specifically to see her and engage in sexual acts. Also, in a chilling revelation, the girl said they\u00a0had planned\u00a0on committing\u00a0suicide\u00a0together but were unable to because law enforcement found them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMinor Victim One also\u00a0told law enforcement\u00a0that she and Pysher had engaged in sexual conduct and that\u00a0Pysher had used a knife to repeatedly cut her,\u201d the complaint alleges.<\/p>\n
Matthew Edward Pysher as seen in a photo presented at a press conference on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (KTLA)<\/p>\n Minor Victim One may not be Pysher\u2019s only victim; officials say that Pysher is \u201cassociated with nihilistic violent extremist ideology\u201d and that his digital devices \u201clikely contain\u00a0evidence related to offenses, including information\u00a0about\u00a0additional\u00a0minor victims.\u201d<\/p>\n Further information released in the complaint provided more background on the case, including Pysher\u2019s online alias, \u201cPiano.Man,\u201d and\u00a0the revelation that the victim\u2019s grandfather found a suicide note and discovered\u00a0she had run away on the\u00a0same\u00a0day Pysher came to California.<\/p>\n In a press release<\/a> that was also issued Monday, the Department of Justice explained the teenage suspect is part of a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) group called 764, whose members, according to federal officials, are known to \u201cengage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction and social instability.\u201d<\/p>\n Serial child molester could be released from Southern California prison <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cNVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, and frequently use social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material or gore material or to groom victims toward committing acts of violence,\u201d the DOJ said in the press release. \u201cNVEs and their members frequently extort or blackmail victims into complying with NVE demands, which vary but may include self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence and threats of violence, suicide and murder.\u201d<\/p>\n Federal officials, at a press conference in Los Angeles on Monday, referred to the case as \u201cchilling,\u201d showing messages between Pysher and the young girl, including one where he appears to justify his bloodlust.<\/p>\n \u201c[It\u2019s] hard to explain lol. I like the colors first of all lol. I just think red is a very pretty color and I like how blood looks on skin,\u201d one message dated Jan. 24 reads. \u201cI think blades are hot, and I like the idea of someone doing something like that for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA big part is that last one,\u201d he added. \u201cThe fact that it\u2019s for me makes me love it.\u201d<\/p>\n Messages between a Pennsylvania man accused of traveling to meet a California teen for sex and a young female victim presented at a press conference on Feb. 23, 2026. (KTLA)<\/p>\n Messages between a Pennsylvania man accused of traveling to meet a California teen for sex and a young female victim presented at a press conference on Feb. 23, 2026. (KTLA)<\/p>\n Messages between a Pennsylvania man accused of traveling to meet a California teen for sex and a young female victim presented at a press conference on Feb. 23, 2026. (KTLA)<\/p>\n Other messages shown at Monday\u2019s press conference included ones where Pysher said to the victim \u201cyou can go as deep or shallow as you want <3,\u201d referring to the girl cutting herself.<\/p>\n \u201cI love scratches, cuts and pretty much anything else lol,\u201d another message from Jan. 24, sent minutes after the aforementioned messages, reads. \u201cSome are better at different times too. I\u2019m not picky.\u201d<\/p>\n Frighteningly enough, the young victim responded with \u201cI just want to be the best for you haha.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n