5 key details about Jason David Frank's assassination attempt

Jason David Frank, best known for playing the Green Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, was the target of an attempted assassination during the Phoenix ComicCon on May 25, 2017. The incident is revisited in Hollywood Demons episode 3, titled Dark Side of the Power Rangers, airing on April 7 at 9 PM ET.

The episode details how a man named Mathew Sterling entered the venue armed with multiple loaded firearms, a combat knife, pepper spray, and body armor.

According to a Phoenix New Times report dated January 24, 2020, Sterling had programmed a calendar alert in his phone that read "Kill JDF," referring to Jason David Frank.

Authorities were tipped off by a woman in California who had received disturbing messages from Sterling before the event, as per azcentral.com report dated June 13, 2017. The actor was unharmed, but the incident prompted sweeping changes in ComicCon security protocols. Jason David Frank later publicly addressed the attempt, thanking law enforcement and urging improved convention safety.

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5 key insights about Jason David Frank's assassination attempt

1) A fan-turned-attacker arrived armed and ready

On May 25, 2017, a man named Mathew Sterling entered Phoenix ComicCon carrying a full arsenal of weapons. According to an Entertainment Weekly report dated April 6, 2025, police recovered three loaded handguns, a shotgun, a combat knife, pepper spray, and throwing stars from this person.

Sterling wore body armor and claimed he embodied the Marvel character The Punisher. He also had ammunition strapped across his body and had painted his face in line with the comic book character's style.

Police were alerted by a California-based musician who received alarming Facebook messages from Sterling, as noted in azcentral.com report dated June 13, 2017. She informed authorities that Sterling had threatened both law enforcement officers and Jason David Frank. Officers responded in under 15 minutes and detained Sterling on-site.

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2) The motive centered on a delusional obsession with Jason David Frank

Jason David Frank attends Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia 2016 (Image via Getty)

Sterling had a long-standing fascination with Jason David Frank, who played the Green Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. He claimed that Frank was "evil" and not a real Power Ranger. In Entertainment Weekly's report dated April 6, 2025, police investigators found a calendar alert in Sterling's phone that read:

“Kill JDF at ComicCon.”

During interrogation footage featured in Hollywood Demons episode 3, titled Dark Side of the Power Rangers, airing on April 7 at 9 PM ET, Sterling stated:

“I always do that because he’s a cocaine addict.”

Although a toxicology report later confirmed that drugs were present in Frank's system at the time of his 2022 death, no evidence was ever found linking him to drug dealing.

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3) Sterling believed he had a violent history with Frank

In court documents cited by azcentral.com on June 13, 2017, Sterling alleged that he had stabbed Jason David Frank 15 years earlier and had come to Phoenix ComicCon to "finish the job."

However, there is no verifiable record of any such prior incident involving the two. This unsupported claim was one of several delusions that prosecutors used to demonstrate Sterling's detachment from reality.

Further reporting from The Daily Beast on May 29, 2017, revealed that Sterling was a member of Power Rangers fan groups and had followed Frank's work online. He had even interacted with fan content related to Frank's YouTube series My Morphin Life.

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4) Legal outcome: Guilty except insane

Sterling faced multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and carrying weapons in a prohibited place. According to a Phoenix New Times report dated January 24, 2020, he was found "guilty except insane" and sentenced to 25 years at the Arizona State Hospital. The decision followed a bench trial and several psychiatric evaluations.

Under Arizona law, Sterling undergoes periodic reviews by the Psychiatric Security Review Board. If deemed no longer a threat, he could eventually be released under supervision or transferred to a correctional facility, depending on his mental state.

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5) The incident transformed ComicCon security nationwide

Following the assassination attempt, Jason David Frank addressed the public and expressed gratitude to law enforcement. As quoted in the People report dated May 28, 2017, he said:

“I’m very grateful to the Phoenix police department for their brave and outstanding efforts, which avoided a terrible tragedy.”

The attack prompted significant changes in ComicCon security protocols. Events began implementing stricter rules, including a ban on prop weapons and increased screening measures. Phoenix ComicCon (now Phoenix Fan Fusion) worked closely with law enforcement to ensure such incidents would not repeat

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Jason David Frank's role in this case is now being reexamined in Hollywood Demons episode 3 titled Dark Side of the Power Rangers airing on April 7 at 9 PM ET, offering deeper insights into the circumstances that almost led to tragedy.