DELTONA, Fla. — A Deltona man is in jail after deputies say he used Facebook to threaten to kill a family member of Purdue University superfan and cancer activist Tyler Trent, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
John Pinkham, 39, was arrested at his home on Duncan Street at about 3:15 p.m. Monday and faces a felony charge of making written threats to kill or injure.
Detectives determined Pinkham created the alias “Julie Homan” on Facebook to post on Trent’s page following the news the 20-year-old former Purdue student died last week.
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The posts included threats of violence at a celebration of Trent’s life scheduled for Tuesday:
"Cant wait till I can choke the life out of you" … "funerals coming and I will appear like the reaper"
"just wait until yall hear what I do at his funeral..i promise I will make headlines..i will kill his mother.. just watch I will be talked about forever..this is no idol threat."
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office worked in conjunction with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to bring about Pinkham’s arrest.
Trent’s story drew national attention and helped raise more than $100,000 for cancer research.
Today our detectives arrested an Internet Tough Guy in Deltona who made death threats against the mother of @BoilerFootball's @theTylerTrent. Indianapolis Metro Police made this possible! In honor of Tyler (inspiration to us all) please join me & give to https://t.co/em5ksxaY5d pic.twitter.com/BmzT6CYHlX
— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) January 7, 2019
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