The individual who killed Chris Kyle has shared his reasoning with the authorities.
Chris Kyle, a distinguished Navy SEAL, completed four tours during the Iraq War.
Renowned for his sniper abilities, it is documented that his longest confirmed kill was from a distance of 2,100 yards.
After leaving the military with honors in 2009, Kyle gained widespread recognition following the release of his autobiography, American Sniper, in 2012. The book’s immense popularity led to its adaptation into a film, featuring Bradley Cooper as Kyle.
Unfortunately, Kyle did not live to witness the movie’s success, as he was killed prior to its debut.
In February 2013, he was tragically shot by Eddie Ray Routh, along with his friend Chad Littlefield.
Routh, a 25-year-old Marine Corps veteran at the time, had been invited by Kyle and Littlefield to a shooting range after his mother had requested their help. Routh had been honorably discharged from the Marines in 2011 and was reportedly dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Kyle believed that the outing might offer some therapeutic benefit to Routh, but it turned into a tragic event.
During a police interrogation, Routh revealed why he targeted Kyle first, stating he could ‘clearly identify him’.
“I imagine they’re head hunters, trying to hunt everybody down,” Routh said in the footage, according to CBS.
In addition to PTSD, Routh is thought to have faced other mental health challenges in the period leading up to the murders, as noted by The Trace.
The recorded audio of Routh was presented to a jury in 2015, where he was heard explaining: “If I did not take down his soul, he was going to take down mine.”
Several months after the incident, Routh told former Erath County Sheriff’s Deputy Gene Cole: “I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me.
“They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them.
“I feel bad about it, but they wouldn’t talk to me. I’m sure they’ve forgiven me.”
Routh’s legal team claimed he was insane during the time of the killings, but prosecution witnesses suggested he might have been feigning schizophrenia.
On February 24, 2015, Routh was convicted of the murder of both men.
The prosecution opted not to seek the death penalty, resulting in a life imprisonment sentence without parole.
If you or someone you know is facing challenges or in a crisis, support is available through Mental Health America. You can reach a 24-hour crisis center by calling or texting 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for a webchat. Alternatively, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.