In March 2021, Von Nukem admitted to attempted drug smuggling after being arrested at the Mexico–United States border. He failed to show up for a January 30, 2023, court appearance in Arizona, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot injury the same day.
Early life
Nukem was born Ted Landrum on November 23, 1987, in Phoenix, Arizona.[1][2][3] He was of German heritage and attended middle school in Lebanon, Missouri.[4][5] One of his former classmates remembered him as a "smart 'token goth kid' and 'highly intelligent' history buff with an unsettling interest in Nazi Germany".[5]
Adult life
Von Nukem was a far-right extremist and a white nationalist who changed his name to that of video-game character Duke Nukem in 2012.[6] A photograph of him holding a tiki torch at the Unite the Right rally became the image that was most commonly used to represent the 2017 right-wing protest in Charlottesville, Virginia.[5] In the photograph he stands next to a screaming man who was later identified as University of Nevada student Peter Cvjetanovic.[5] Journalist Molly Conger identified Von Nukem as part of a mob that assaulted DeAndre Harris, a Black counter-protester, at the Charlottesville event.[7][8][9]
He failed to attend a scheduled Arizona District Court appearance on January 30, 2023, prompting judge Rosemary Márquez to issue an arrest warrant.[4][10] He was facing federal charges.[13] Within one hour, his wife telephoned the court to inform them of an emergency at the Von Nukem family home after finding his body in the snow behind a hay shed.[2][4][14] The case was dismissed on February 10, 2023.[4]
Von Nukem was married with four daughters and a son, and resided in Hartshorn, Missouri.[2][7] He was a supporter of libertarianism and believed that "white people are disadvantaged in the arena of identity politics."[6][5]
Death
Von Nukem killed himself at his home in Missouri on January 30, 2023.[10][12] His death occurred on the same day he was due to stand trial for drug-related criminal charges.[12] He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound from a handgun.[14] He was aged 35 at the time of his death.[10]
Marie Lasater, the Texas County coroner, confirmed his death was suicide.[13]