The Exploding Pendant — Shaped-Charge Crucifix Theory
A variant of the exploding mic theory proposes that the concealed explosive was not in the lapel microphone at all, but inside Charlie Kirk's crucifix pendant. The argument was advanced in a December 2025 X thread by a user identifying himself as a former U.S. Marine Corps explosive breacher (@cletus_jethro), and was reshared on June 21, 2026 by investigator @matt82704417 (Matthew St Baker). The claims below are presented as the authors' analysis and opinion, not established fact.
Screenshots of the @cletus_jethro thread laying out the shaped-charge crucifix argument and PETN blast math. Source: @matt82704417 on X, June 21, 2026.
The Theory in Brief
According to @matt82704417, the source "is a military man with expertise in using shaped charges" who "shows the math." As summarized in the post:
"He believes there was a microscopic amount of explosive, in cone shaped charge, placed in the top of Charlie's crucifix pendant. The weight and strength of the silver box chain would act as an anchor against the recoil when the charge was fired — detonated by a third party. The crucifix was positioned under Charlie's shirt at a slight angle, under the letter D in FREEDOM. It was pointing directly at the area of the neck where we see the injury, AFTER the strange shirt movement. If a bullet was shot, we'd have seen the damage to the neck before any shirt movement."
The post is tagged to @RealCandaceO, @BlakeBednarz, and @baroncoleman.
Why a Pendant, Not the Lapel Mic
The thread author argues that the location of the charge matters because a charge must be anchored to be effective and accurate. According to @cletus_jethro:
- Background: "I have experience working with explosives from my time in the USMC, I was an explosive breacher and an 'assault' section leader specializing in Urban Mobility Charges — ie making holes in walls, blowing up doors, etc."
- Anchoring: "if you're setting off a charge, you need to anchor it so the theories about an explosive device in his lapel microphone on his shirt makes no sense, since if that happened, the mike would move left, not right, from the force of the blast being initiated."
- The silver chain as anchor: "not only is it conductive (silver is more conductive than copper) but it would've been anchored by that thick chain around his neck, allowing the force of the explosive to push off; while anchored in place by the necklace since blasts tend to follow the path of least resistance."
- Accuracy: "something unanchored like the lapel Mike on his shirt would not have been very accurate, but something anchored around his neck like the necklace would've been more accurate."
The Cross Was Large Enough — The Monroe Effect
Responding to a common objection that the crucifix was too small to inflict the wound, @cletus_jethro states it was of "more than sufficient size." His argument: "If the center column of the cross had a small amount of PETN," and was "built in a cone shape (as I used to build charges all the time) to utilize the Monroe effect, it would have been an extremely powerful upward blast relative to its size." The Monroe effect (the principle behind shaped charges) focuses explosive energy in a single direction.
The PETN Argument
The thread relies on PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) as the proposed explosive:
- Relative effectiveness: "The Relative Effectiveness of PETN is 1.66, meaning that one gram of PETN is equivalent of 1.66 grams of TNT and the equivalent of 3X as powerful as black powder, which has a RE of .55."
- Electric sensitivity: "PETN is much more reactive to electric shock and when built properly in a directional shape charge, is highly effective in small amounts for an injury like what happened to Charlie."
The Electrocution-Initiated Detonation Claim
The most distinctive claim in the thread is that the charge may have been triggered through the victim's own body acting as the initiator:
- "By making the explosive activation dependent on successful electrocution, any failure in the electrical component would prevent detonation altogether. In such a scenario, alternatives could be pursued seamlessly."
- "Conversely, a remote detonation without the electrical safeguard risks the target surviving long enough to speak or escape death entirely. Relying solely on a shot introduces uncertainties, akin to the last-second movement seen in the Trump Pennsylvania attempt."
- "Ultimately, the electrocution method, with the target's body serving as the initiator, provides the ideal balance: risk mitigation, built-in redundancy, and synchronized execution."
The Blast-Velocity Calculation
The thread closes with a calculation arguing the charge would behave differently from a rifle round — loud like a gunshot, but without an exit wound:
"similar in sound to a gunshot — however due to the lack of rifling, the charge would lose speed incredibly fast, but would be plenty strong enough to cause the wound, however — as designed with a shape charge, not strong enough to cause an exit wound."
The stated math: PETN's detonation velocity is 8,400 m/s; the modeled speed drop over one foot is 8,400 − 309 = 8,091 m/s. The intermediate steps shown:
- E = m × heat of detonation = 0.003 × 5.81 × 10⁶ = 1.743 × 10⁴ J
- (ρ/E)^½ = 1.225 / 17430 ≈ 0.00838 s/m²
- r/ξ = 0.3048 / 1.035 ≈ 0.2945
- (r/ξ)^(5/2) = (0.2945)^2.5 ≈ 0.047
- t = 0.047 × 0.00838 ≈ 3.94 × 10⁻⁴ s
- v = (2/5) × (0.3048 / 3.94 × 10⁻⁴) ≈ 309 m/s
- Subtract from initial detonation velocity: 8,400 − 309 = 8,091 m/s
Context and Caveats
This is an independent analysis from a self-described veteran, reshared by an investigator. The credentials cited (USMC explosive breacher) have not been independently verified, and the calculation has not been peer-reviewed. The theory should be read alongside the broader exploding mic analysis and the medical and wound analysis, which examine whether the observable shirt movement and injury pattern are consistent with a rifle shot. No public autopsy detail has confirmed an explosive mechanism, and the official narrative remains a rifle shooting.