A St. Augustine man once spotlighted in a national documentary about the struggles of returning combat veterans is no longer facing a felony rap for threatening two St. Johns County commissioners, court papers reveal.
Prosecutors have dismissed the top count of making a threat against a public official, but a separate felony charge of tampering with evidence is still pending.
Nathan James Keyes, 44, was arrested after investigators said he posted a graphic image depicting Commissioners Ann Taylor and Krista Joseph.
The image, shared May 31, 2025, from the Blue Sky account “Atheist Pizza News,” showed one commissioner with a sword driven through her head and the other struck with an axe, accompanied by the caption: “Totally torched by the pro komando mob, totally epic defeat.”
The “komando” reference likely pointed to County Attorney Rich Komando, whose hiring both commissioners had opposed.
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Detectives traced the post to a phone number linked to Keyes through digital records and subpoenas.
When deputies arrived at his home on Oct. 9, Keyes denied making the post but acknowledged he knew who the commissioners were. According to the arrest report, investigators called the number associated with the account, and a device in Keyes’ possession rang.
Deputies obtained a search warrant for the phone later that day.
As they returned to seize it, Keyes allegedly ran into his backyard and tried to conceal the device under a piece of wood, an act authorities say was intended to prevent the collection of digital evidence.
He was arrested and originally charged with corruption by threat against a public servant and tampering with physical evidence. After prosecutors dropped the first charge, only the tampering count remains.
A former Army specialist, he was featured in the 2009 documentary series In Their Boots in an episode titled “From War to Prison,” which chronicled his return from Iraq and his escalating PTSD, drinking, and emotional instability.
The film followed the aftermath of a 2008 road-rage incident in which Keyes fired a gun; he later served prison time and underwent psychiatric treatment.
Keyes’ Blue Sky account—later renamed “Atheist Left News”—includes frequent posts criticizing former President Donald Trump and what he has called a broken political system.
A court spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.
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