College football coach’s son, 13, was ‘sextortion’ victim

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — The family of Levi Maciejewski, a 13-year-old boy who shot himself near his family’s backyard pool in Shippensburg Township this summer, has issued a statement asserting that Levi’s death was the result of a sextortion case.

State police said Levi’s body was found by a family member shortly after 2 p.m. Aug. 20 with a gunshot wound to the head. Initial reports to Cumberland County 9-1-1 suggested that it may have been a self-inflicted wound, according to search warrant requests.

A rifle and two empty shell casings were found near his body. One casing was on the ground, according to the warrant report, and a second was recorded as being in the rifle.

In a statement released on her Facebook page Friday, Levi’s mother, Tricia Koons Maciejewski, said the death has now been ruled a homicide, and that “efforts are underway to identify and hold the responsible party accountable.”

Levi’s father is Mark Maciejewski, the head football coach at Shippensburg University.

The Cumberland County coroner’s office has not returned messages or calls about the case for weeks, including on Friday. PennLive learned late Friday afternoon, however, that the coroner’s report on the Maciejewski case has been under a court seal since Oct. 7.

A ruling of homicide means the coroner determined the boy’s death was caused by the actions of another, even if another person did not pull the trigger.

Courtney Hair LaRue, Cumberland County’s first assistant district attorney, confirmed Friday, after the release of the family’s statement, that the circumstances surrounding Levi’s death remain under investigation. She declined further comment.

But other court records reviewed Friday showed Pennsylvania State Police have been investigating the case as possible sexual extortion and sexual abuse of children, and have obtained seven different search warrants in connection with the investigation.

Most of the contents of those warrants are sealed by court order.

Unsealed application pages show that police have been seeking information pertaining to social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook and the WhatsApp application, three different email accounts and data from a local cell phone account.

The required affidavits of probable cause that outline precisely why investigators believe the items they want access to bear on the case remained under court-approved sealing orders Friday, in part to protect “the integrity of the investigation,” according to the district attorney’s requests.

The Maciejewski family said Friday that it was coming forward with the additional information now in hopes of educating other parents and protecting other children.

Here is their statement, in full:

“As a family, we want to share this statement to address the many questions and speculations surrounding Levi’s untimely death.

“This is all the information we are able to provide at this time, and we kindly ask that you respect our request for privacy by refraining from asking further questions. While this may be a story to some, to us, it is an unimaginable loss and a deeply personal reality.

“Levi’s death was the result of a heinous and rapidly growing crime known as “sextortion.”

“An online predator coerced, threatened, and blackmailed him, leading to devastating consequences. Law enforcement has classified Levi’s death as a homicide due to the deliberate and senseless actions of another individual.”

Sextortion is defined by the FBI as any incident in which someone threatens to distribute intimate or sensitive material about you or a loved one if you don’t provide them with images of a sexual nature, sexual favors or money. It can occur through connections made on online chat rooms, through the hacking of personal devices or other means.

The FBI has said the best protections against sextortion are to never send compromising images to anyone; never open an attachment from strangers; and turn off electronic devices when they are not in use.

The Maciejewski family’s statement continues:

“We were an ordinary family with typical teenage kids, and our lives have been irreparably changed by this unfathomable crime. Now, we are a grieving family trying to find our way without Levi. He was a loving, confident, spirited 13-year-old boy who brightened the lives of everyone who knew him. Levi deserves to be remembered and honored for the incredible person he was.

“We hope that by sharing our heartbreak, we can bring awareness to the dangers of sextortion and prevent others from experiencing the pain we endure every day.

“Technology has made the world more connected than ever, but it has also opened doors to the predators lurking behind screens. It is critical that we educate ourselves and our children about the hidden dangers of a digital lifestyle. Awareness and education are vital to protecting our loved ones and confronting this growing threat.”

The case rocked western Cumberland County and the Shippensburg University community.

Just three days after the tragedy, students at neighboring Big Spring High School used the occasion of the Little Brown Jug rivalry game to pay homage to rival Shippensburg through a “maroon-out,” as an homage to the common shade in both school’s team colors.