If Its True Is It Still Racist?
By: Tommy “Tj” Sotomayor

Authorities arrested and charged 18-year-old Matthew Bernard with the murders of his mother, sister, and baby nephew in Virginia on Tuesday.Ditch the fake news ==> Click here to get news you can trust sent right to your inbox. It’s free!

Bernard reportedly went on a naked violent attack before being arrested Tuesday evening, according to reports.

He is the brother-in-law of Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Blake Bivens. Bivens’ wife, Emily, son Cullen, and mother-in-law were found dead in their rural Virginia home. The couple married in 2016, and their son was born in 2018.

What are the details?

The scene unfolded Tuesday morning when a neighbor reportedly spotted a body lying in the driveway of a home in Keeling, Virginia. The neighbor called authorities, who rushed to the scene only to discover two more bodies inside the home.

Police named Bernard as a suspect and began pursuing him. A police alert warned residents to keep an eye out for Bernard, who they reported was “armed with a rifle and considered very dangerous.”

Hours later, police found Bernard running around in public while fully naked. When police encountered him, he reportedly attempted to strangle a nearby church groundskeeper. Police were able to subdue Bernard just a half-mile from the murder scene and take him into custody.

Authorities charged him with three counts of first-degree murder.

Bernard was being treated at a local medical clinic at the time of this writing.

In a statement, the Rays said, “Earlier today, we learned that Blake Bivens, a pitcher with our Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits, suffered a terrible family tragedy in southern Virginia. Our hearts are broken for Blake. We are grieving with him and will support him any way we can. We ask that everyone respect the privacy of the Bivens family and the Biscuits family during this extremely difficult time.”

Later that evening, the Biscuits announced that the night’s doubleheader would be canceled “due to a tragic event within the Biscuits family.”

Team CEO and managing owner Lou DiBella also issued a statement on Twitter. He wrote, “We appreciate the outpouring of support and concern, but ask that you respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time.”

What else?

Bryant Bernard, a family member, told WSLS-TV that the suspect — who the station reports is 19 years old, not 18 — reportedly killed a dog in addition to slaying his sister, nephew, and mother. He described the suspect — his nephew — as a student at a local community college, an avid churchgoer, and an “all-around perfect kid.”

“In my wildest dreams, I never could have imagined it,” Bryant said. “Not him.”

He added, “This boy’s a Christian. Went to church every Sunday, every Wednesday, every Sunday night. Taught youth groups.”

Investigators are still looking for a motive behind the horrific murders.