Matthew Sterling: The Man Who Targeted Power Rangers Star Jason David Frank
In May 2017, Matthew Sterling entered the Phoenix ComicCon with a plan to murder Power Rangers actor Jason David Frank, shocking fans and prompting changes in convention security policies.
His attack was thwarted by a friend who alerted authorities. This case raises important questions about celebrity safety, mental health intervention, and public event security, making it relevant for Power Rangers fans and anyone concerned about public safety and mental health crises.
A Foiled Plot To Attack At Phoenix ComicCon
May 25, 2017:…Fans arrive at the Phoenix Convention Center for the annual Phoenix ComicCon. One of these was 29-year-old Matthew Sterling. Sterling, unlike other attendees, did not come to celebrate pop culture. He had come with a deadly plan and a stash of weapons.
Sterling, relevant to your questions, entered the convention wearing body armor and carrying three loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun, a combat knife, pepper spray, throwing stars, and a stun gun. He also wore black tactical pants, a red bandanna, black face paint, and a shirt with the Punisher logo. He looked like the Marvel vigilante character he said he dressed as.
Police later found a chilling reminder set in Sterling’s phone: “Kill JDF at ComicCon.” JDF stood for Jason David Frank, who played the Green Ranger on the popular Mighty Morphin Power Rangers program.
Frank, a featured guest at the convention, was to meet fans for autographs and photos. “I do not like him one little bit.” I can’t stand him. He’s not a Power Ranger, he’s evil,” Sterling would later tell investigators of Frank. “I hate what he is. He’s a corrupt Power Ranger.”
What might have ended in tragedy was averted by prompt action. A woman friend in California read Sterling’s plans on his social media messages and contacted Phoenix police immediately. Officers found Sterling on the convention center’s first floor within minutes and wrestled him to the ground before he could harm anyone.
Who Is Matthew Sterling?
Jason David Frank was targeted because the disturbed 29-year-old Arizona resident, Matthew Sterling, believed he needed to murder him. Little was publicly known about Sterling before the incident. His name would become linked to one of the gravest threats made at a comic convention.
Sterling came to possess some pretty troubling delusions, which came out during police interrogations. He said he was the real-life version of The Punisher, a character from Marvel Comics who enacts violent vigilante justice. His costume for that convention was a reflection of that belief.
Sterling also baselessly asserted that he had stabbed Jason David Frank 15 years earlier and had returned to “finish the job.” There is no evidence that this ever occurred. He went on to share a strange theory that Frank was “evil” and “not a real Power Ranger.”
Mental health evaluations conducted later showed Sterling had had severe mental illness. His delusions were explicitly focused on Jason David Frank, whom he accused of being a “cocaine addict.” And despite toxicology reports showing drugs in Frank’s system after his 2022 death, there was never any link between the dead man and drug dealing, as Sterling had alleged.
Sterling’s case illustrates the dangers that untreated mental illness can create. His obsession with a celebrity and the elaborate violent plans indicate a need for improved mental health intervention before these crises emerge.
Police Response and Arrest
The thwarting of what would have been a tragedy at Phoenix ComicCon (or, in a different time, a Movie premiere) highlights the preparedness of law enforcement and the critical role of “see something, say something” protocols. The sequence of events was fast and efficient.
The first key step had come when Sterling’s friend learned of disturbing Facebook messages about his plans. Instead of brushing them off, she immediately contacted the Phoenix police. She told authorities Sterling had made threats toward law enforcement and Jason David Frank specifically, according to court documents.
Phoenix police said the tip came in just after 8 a.m. on the 30th, and officers were at the hotel within 15 minutes. Using Sterling’s distinctive shirt and tactical gear to identify him, officers located Sterling inside the convention center. During his first run in the hotel, Sterling did resist arrest, but police managed to get him under control on the venue’s first floor before convention-goers were harmed.
[The search of Sterling’s person produced a shocking arsenal.] Officers found three loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun, a combat knife, pepper spray, throwing stars, and a stun gun. He was also decked in body armor, and ammunition was strung across his body. They also found his phone’s incriminating calendar reminder to “Kill JDF” for that day.
“We are eternally thankful to the Phoenix Police Department and the individual who originally reported the incident for their quick thinking and actions that led to zero injuries,” Kristin Rowan, spokesperson for parent company Square Egg Entertainment, said. Law enforcement’s speedy and collaborative action averted what might have been a catastrophic attack on a much-loved television icon and possibly several convention goers.
Involuntary Civil Commitment And Mental Health Evaluation
Matthew Sterling arrested with attempted first-degree murder (but no attempted second-degree murder) attempted aggravated assault, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, misconduct involving weapons, and carrying of weapons (including a firearm) in a place prohibited by law. The legal wrangling that followed would last two and a half years.
The case took a significant turn when mental health was put in the spotlight, from whose to blame with SterlingUltimately, no one, really, not the cops, who no one seems to think is really to blame, The case took some turns finally ending with a cop who just got out of the academy.
The defense counsel and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office examined Sterling’s mind multiple times. These assessments were designed to assess whether Sterling had appreciated the wrongfulness of his actions when committing the offence.
A one-day bench trial was held in December 2019 with no jury. Sterling entered a guilty but insane plea. In her ruling, Judge Jennifer Ryan-Touhill assessed all the evidence in the case—including the psychiatric evaluations and the statements that Sterling made to police himself.
The verdict was reached on January 24, 2020. Sterling was convicted of his crimes “guilty except insane.” Social news Under Arizona state law, this special verdict applies if a person has such a severe mental condition at the time of their crime that they are incapable of understanding the wrongfulness of their actions.
Instead of being in prison, Sterling was sentenced to 25 years in the Arizona State Hospital. State prison time would come if the judge finds at some point that Sterling is mentally competent.
Defense attorney Dwayne Cates said he was pleased with the verdict, adding, “Here in Maricopa County, it is very, very, very rare to have somebody found guilty except insane in court. [Prosecutors] fight tooth and nail to prevent that.”
Where Is Matthew Sterling Now?
Matthew Sterling has since been locked away at the Arizona State Hospital in Phoenix, where he is serving the remainder of his 25-year sentence as of April 2025. Sterling, who has been housed in the psychiatric wing of the facility since his sentencing in January of 2020, continues to receive treatment for his mental health condition.
Under Arizona law, the Arizona Psychiatric Security Review Board periodically reviews Sterling’s case. These evaluations determine whether he has been “restored to sanity” and how much supervision he needs.
“We’ll see what his status is at that time,” defense lawyer Dwayne Cates said of a review process. They can do three things if he is deemed to be restored to sanity at some point. They can release him, but he remains under the supervision of the state mental board [and] they can return him at any point in time they decide to.”
They could release him under supervised conditions, requiring him to take medication or go to counseling. Or, if they believe that he is fully restored but simply a threat to society, they can dispatch him to the Department of Corrections to complete his [sentence].”
Public records reflect no change in Sterling’s confinement status so far. He has to successfully finish mental health treatment programs and show sustained improvement before any change in his sentence would be considered.
The weight of the charges and the premeditated nature of the attack parade the likelihood that Sterling will spend many more years institutionalized. The case remains a model for how the legal system addresses defendants who have severe mental illness when they commit grave crimes.
An Impact On Security Measures At The Convention
The foiled plot against Jason David Frank changed security protocols at comic conventions and similar events nationwide. The episode was a wake-up call for an industry that previously operated with relatively lax security protocols.
In the wake of the arrest, Phoenix ComicCon (known today as Phoenix Fan Fusion) made emergency security changes. Prop weapons were banned from the rest of the 2017 event. Attendees underwent extra screening measures such as bag checks and metal detectors. Security forces were vastly enlarged.
Such changes became entrenched at conventions all over the country. Most events changed their policy around bringing weapons, even as costume props. Some conventions banned backpacks and instituted a clear-bag policy; others even installed airport-style security screening.
“We are relieved to learn that Mathew Sterling can receive the necessary medical treatment needed at the state hospital,” said Kristin Rowan, a spokeswoman for Phoenix Fan Fusion. We are pleased that we can seek closure on this matter, refocus on the future of Phoenix Fan Fusion, and provide our fans with the best pop culture entertainment events possible.
The incident also underscored the importance of staff training. Workers in one convention center have now learn to spot suspicious behavior and react to possible threats. Many such events involve collaboration with local law enforcement to create security plans.
For fans, the changes resulted in longer lines to enter the building and more significant costume restrictions, but most accepted the measures as necessary precautions. This evidence case illustrated the speed with which security protocols evolve as one steps up to meet a serious threat.)
Jason David Frank’s Response
The attack was primarily aimed at Jason David Frank, who responded to the attack with unprecedented poise and graciousness. In the days after the arrest, Frank spoke publicly about what happened and thanked law enforcement. “I’m very thankful to the phoenix police department for their heroic and incredible work that prevented a tragedy,” Frank told People magazine in an interview shortly after the incident.
Despite the traumatic learning that there was a person who wanted to kill him, Frank did not stop appearing in movies and attending conventions. He stayed in touch with fans while collaborating with event organizers to set the appropriate measures.
In an interview in 2019 with Phoenix’s 12 News, Frank showed unusual compassion toward Sterling. “Do I want him to do jail time and get his mental help? Of course,” Frank said, explaining that he had forgiven Sterling over the foiled attack.
Frank replied and said he felt this was beneficial to his mental health. Instead of simply advocating that Sterling be punished, he said he wanted to spotlight the need for Sterling to get proper psychiatric care.
Frank himself would sadly go on to battle mental health issues. Jason David Frank died by suicide in November 2022, when he was 49, and that fact is noted in Investigation Discovery’s “Hollywood Demons: Dark Side of the Power Rangers” documentary. Frank’s death occurred years after Sterling was arrested and had no direct tie to the incident, but both cases illustrate the vital need for mental health awareness and treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of weapons did Matthew Sterling bring to Phoenix ComicCon?
Matthew Sterling was arrested with an arsenal of weapons, including three loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun, a combat knife, pepper spray, throwing stars, and a stun gun. He was also wearing body armor and had a stockpile of ammunition.
How did Matthew Sterling get caught before he could hurt Jason David Frank?
A friend who lives in California received alarming texts from Sterling regarding his intentions, the friend said, and called Phoenix police immediately. Officers arrived within 15 minutes, spotted Sterling by his distinctive clothing, and arrested him before he was able to harm anyone.
Why did Sterling have it out for Jason David Frank?
Sterling had extreme mental health issues and had irrational beliefs about Frank. He called Frank ”evil” and “not a real Power Ranger.” Sterling also made false allegations that Frank was a “cocaine addict” and that he stabbed Frank 15 years ago, even though no evidence supported this allegation.
What is guilty except insane in Arizona law?
Under Arizona law, a defendant can be found “guilty except insane” if he had such a severe mental disease or defect at the time of his crime that he couldn’t appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct. This ruling usually leads to placement in a psychiatric facility, not behind bars.
Will Matthew Sterling be free before his 25-year sentence is over?
Yes, Sterling is periodically reviewed by the Arizona Psychiatric Security Review Board. If “restored to sanity,” he could be released to community supervision or transferred to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. Any release would remain subject to state mental health board oversight.
Final Words
Matthew Sterling’s case highlights how untreated mental health crises can escalate dramatically. What began as a fun day at Phoenix ComicCon nearly turned tragic, saved only by the vigilance of a friend and the quick action of law enforcement.
This incident changed security protocols at conventions to better ensure attendee safety. It sparked a discussion about the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system, leading to a focus on treatment rather than punishment.
Jason David Frank’s compassionate response—his forgiveness of Sterling and advocacy for mental health treatment—adds depth to the story and showcases his character beyond his role as a Power Ranger.
As conventions adapt their security measures and the legal system seeks a balance between punishment and care for mentally ill offenders, Sterling’s case serves as a critical reminder to address troubling behaviors and prioritize mental health intervention, all while striving to keep public events safe and enjoyable.
Table of Contents