A man accused of stalking and harassing UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers said on social media that he intended to marry her and had an engagement ring and lingerie in his possession when he was arrested near a Connecticut airport, according to police reports.
Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, posted statements on TikTok and sent emails to University of Connecticut officials that showed an infatuation with Bueckers and included threats, police said.
Parmalee, whose last known addresses were in Grants Pass, Oregon, and Ritzville, Washington, was ordered detained on $100,000 bail Monday after being arraigned on the charges in the courthouse in Rockville, Connecticut. He was also ordered to stay away from a person named in court as “P.B.” and banned from the UConn campus in Storrs.
His public defender did not immediately return an email seeking comment Tuesday.
Parmalee was initially arrested on Aug. 27 while walking along a highway near Bradley International Airport near Hartford. He told a state trooper that he had just flown in from the Pacific Northwest and was on his way to see Bueckers at UConn, the police reports said, adding he was found with a ring and lingerie.
The trooper took Parmalee into custody when he learned there was an arrest warrant out of Josephine County, Oregon, accusing Parmalee of setting a home on fire with roommates and pets inside, police said.
Parmalee had posted photos, videos and comments about Bueckers on TikTok and other social media platforms and had been emailing UConn officials since June with rambling comments including his desire to marry Bueckers, police said. The postings and emails initially did not warrant criminal charges, but his comments became alarming over time, the reports said.
An arrest warrant affidavit redacts the name of the UConn student at whom Parmalee’s posts were directed and names her only as “V1,” but says Parmalee posted on social media about his desire to marry V1.
“Parmalee has shown a continual, escalating behavior and directed effort to make electronic postings about V1 and threats against those close with V1 which has caused emotional distress over the past two weeks for V1,” a UConn police officer wrote in the affidavit dated Friday.
V1 told police that she discovered that Parmalee had been sending various videos to her Instagram direct messages since February, but they were not threatening. She said she did not respond to the messages. She said she became concerned for the safety of herself, her family and her teammates after learning of Parmalee’s arrest near the airport.
In a TikTok posting reviewed by The Associated Press, Parmalee referred to a photo of Bueckers and an unnamed man, writing, “This is worth it for this guy, huh? … this is just one guy, I’ll sacrifice him, no problems, no questions asked.” The police reports mention that post and refer to V1.
In another post, he talked about bringing V1 flowers and finding her mother’s home, police said. He also wrote in a different post that if he cannot live with the woman of his choosing — referring to V1 — then, “I will choose to die, and I will choose to take all of you that pose me, oppose us, to hell.” He also tells V1 that “if you allow them to touch you, you allow them to die,” according to the police reports.
In a TikTok post before he arrived in Connecticut, Parmalee wrote, “I’m coming to UCONN Paige Madison Bueckers, I’ll be in Hartford tomorrow morning,” and included a photo of himself with airline tickets at an airport.
Parmalee was initially detained on the arson warrant out of Oregon before being charged with felony stalking and misdemeanor harassment and breach of peace by UConn police.
The police reports say Parmalee has a criminal history dating back to 2002 that includes arrests for misdemeanor sexual abuse, harassment, burglary, driving under the influence and possession of methamphetamine. Police officials in Oregon told Connecticut authorities they had no information related to mental health calls associated with Parmalee.
A man was recently arrested near an airport in Connecticut after being found in possession of an engagement ring and accused of stalking University of Connecticut basketball star Paige Bueckers. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and privacy of high-profile athletes, as well as the prevalence of stalking in today’s society.
Paige Bueckers, a freshman guard for the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team, has quickly risen to stardom with her exceptional skills on the court. She has been hailed as one of the top players in the country and has garnered a large following of fans. However, with fame comes unwanted attention, and Bueckers is no stranger to the dangers of being in the public eye.
The man in question, whose identity has not been disclosed, was apprehended by authorities near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. He was reportedly found with an engagement ring in his possession, leading to suspicions that he may have been planning to propose to Bueckers. However, upon further investigation, it was discovered that the man had been stalking Bueckers for some time, both in person and online.
Stalking is a serious crime that can have devastating effects on its victims. It involves repeated and unwanted attention or contact that causes fear or distress. In this case, Bueckers was likely feeling violated and unsafe knowing that someone had been following her every move. The fact that the man was found near an airport raises even more concerns about his intentions and potential threats to Bueckers’ safety.
Athletes, especially those in the spotlight like Paige Bueckers, are often targeted by stalkers and obsessed fans. Their fame and success make them easy targets for those seeking attention or seeking to harm them. It is important for athletes to take precautions to protect themselves and their privacy, including being aware of their surroundings, avoiding sharing personal information online, and seeking help if they feel threatened.
The arrest of the man near the airport serves as a reminder of the dangers that high-profile individuals face on a daily basis. It also highlights the importance of taking stalking seriously and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Hopefully, this incident will lead to increased awareness and measures to prevent stalking and protect the safety of athletes like Paige Bueckers in the future.
