Matthew Cordle, YouTuber Who ‘Killed A Man,’ Formally Charged

Matthew Cordle, who confessed to killing a man while driving under the influence of alcohol in a powerful YouTube video last week, has been formally charged on two counts.

According to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office in Ohio, Cordle was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Cordle, 22, confessed to killing a 61-year-old Navy veteran Vincent Canzani after a night of heavy drinking in a YouTube video, in which he also begs viewers to never drink and drive. The clip was circulated by the blog because I said I would., and went viral late last week.

“My name is Matthew Cordle, and on June 22nd, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani. This video will act as my confession,” he says in the video.

Cordle also says that his lawyers offered him a way out of any legal consequences, but told him that he would have to lie about his state that night. Instead, he chose to record the video and release it online, with the full understanding that the video will likely be used as evidence against him in court.

This is kind of the point, as Cordle admits in the video that it should act as his official confession.

“When I get charged I’ll plead guilty and take full responsibility for everything I’ve done to Vincent and his family,” Cordle continues.

Though Cordle has been praised by lawyers on both sides of the case for his decision, Canzani’s daughter believes that he only confessed to receive a lighter sentence.

“There’s a way to go about it,” Angela Canzani said. “And that wasn’t it.”

“If he wanted to raise awareness, I mean, I would’ve commended him for that down the road, but the video is totally misleading. The motives, I believe, are so he’ll get a lighter sentence.”

Regardless, Cordle’s defense attorney said that his client intends to follow through on his promise to cooperate with prosecutors.