Key Developments
- A Missouri State University sophomore faces felony property damage charges after allegedly vandalizing 17 vehicles in a campus parking lot, then confessing the crimes to ChatGPT in a detailed conversation recovered from his iPhone
- Police obtained search warrant for Ryan Schaefer’s phone after surveillance footage showed a suspect matching his description; location data and AI chat logs provided investigators with what prosecutors call a “troubling dialogue” documenting the defendant’s state of mind immediately following the alleged 3 AM rampage
- Schaefer remains held on $7,500 bond with strict release conditions including GPS monitoring, alcohol testing, and a bar ban while awaiting preliminary hearing on felony charges that could result in years of prison time if convicted
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A 19-year-old college student is facing felony charges after police say he vandalized 17 cars on a Missouri State University campus parking lot, then immediately turned to artificial intelligence to discuss whether he would get caught.
Ryan Schaefer was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony property damage following what investigators describe as a destructive early-morning rampage that left vehicles with shattered windows, ripped-off side mirrors, dented hoods, and broken windshield wipers. But it was what happened after the alleged vandalism that provided prosecutors with their most compelling evidence: a lengthy, typo-filled ChatGPT conversation in which Schaefer appeared to confess to the crimes and contemplate his chances of evading detection.
