Man charged with threatening dead cancer activist’s mother

DELTONA, Fla. – Authorities say a Florida man has been charged with making death threats against the mother of a Purdue University superfan and cancer activist who died last week.

A Volusia County Sheriff’s Office news release says 39-year-old John Matthew Pinkham was arrested Monday at a Deltona, Florida, home and charged with making written threats to kill or injure.

Detectives say Pinkham made multiple posts using an alias on 20-year-old Tyler Trent’s Facebook page after news of the former Purdue student’s death. Authorities say the posts included threats of violence at a vigil scheduled for this week at the West Lafayette, Indiana, school.

Trent’s battle with bone cancer drew national attention and helped raise more than $100,000 for cancer research.

Pinkham was being held on $10,000 bond. Jail records didn’t list an attorney.