Matthew Buth Deland Instagram: Last post by Deland high school student
Matthew Buth Deland Instagram handle is @mattcatt_. See last post on Deland high school student suicide victim’s Instagram page.
Matthew Buth jumped to his death from the Beville Road overpass onto Interstate 95.
Matthew Buth Deland death: How Matthew Buth death happened
Minutes before Matt pulled his car onto a bridge during rush hour and committed suicide in front of several witnesses, he had attacked his girlfriend’s mother and threatened to cut himself with a knife inside her home.
Before his death, he was a senior at DeLand High School, a local musician who played guitar and saxophone and participated in his high school band.
Here is a disturbing series of events that preceded Matthew Buth suicide according to Daytona Beach police report:
- Police were called at 5:20 p.m. Thursday to the home at 136 White Heron Drive.
- Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from Terry Melhorn, 54, who alleged Buth had put her in a choke hold, according to an incident report.
- Buth was in a relationship with Melhorn’s 17-year-old daughter.
- The couple started arguing in the living room, at which time Melhorn entered the room and gave Buth some ground rules about when he was allowed to see her daughter.
- That’s when Buth lost his temper and grabbed Melhorn from behind, wrapping his arms around her neck to the point that she couldn’t breathe.
- Buth let her go and went into the dining room, where he started throwing ceramics and other decorations and breaking them
- Melhorn went outside and called 9-1-1 and Buth followed her outside. He grabbed a knife out of his SUV and came back inside the house.
- Buth pointed the knife at his stomach in front of his girlfriend and threatened to kill himself.
- Then he mentioned he was going to jump off a bridge.
- He grabbed his girlfriend by her arms and tried to force her to go with him, but Melhorn returned inside and both she and her daughter escaped into a room and locked the door.
- That’s when Buth got into his vehicle and drove to the Beville Road bridge.
- He looked down from the south side of the bridge and then sprinted toward the north side and jumped.
- Matthew died on impact when he hit the road.
The police report also adds that Matthew Buth suffered from bipolar disorder.
Read tributes pouring in in honour of Matthew:
- From Artie Gardella
So devastated by the Loss of Matthew Buth … as a Father of one of Matthew’s friends, my heart is broken & weeps for Dad, Mom & Family … anything that we can do for you, we are there!
Matt was such a big part of the local music scene, so very talented, a true ENTERTAINER, always had something fresh, funny, and amazing to offer … he will be missed, never forgotten, and we will do all we can do to prevent any other loss amongst the young people of the Florida music community.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.