A man named Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, was accused of stalking and harassing UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers. Police reports revealed that Parmalee expressed his intention to marry Bueckers and had an engagement ring and lingerie in his possession when he was arrested near a Connecticut airport. Parmalee, whose last known addresses were in Grants Pass, Oregon, and Ritzville, Washington, made statements on TikTok and sent emails to University of Connecticut officials showing an infatuation with Bueckers and included threats in his communication.
Upon being arraigned on charges in Rockville, Connecticut, Parmalee was ordered detained on $100,000 bail and was instructed to stay away from a person referred to as “P.B.” and banned from the UConn campus in Storrs. His public defender did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Parmalee was initially arrested while walking near Bradley International Airport near Hartford, where he mentioned that he had just flown in from the Pacific Northwest and was on his way to see Bueckers at UConn, in possession of a ring and lingerie.
Parmalee had a history of posting about Bueckers on social media platforms and had been emailing UConn officials since June with comments expressing his desire to marry Bueckers. While these posts and emails initially did not result in criminal charges, they became increasingly alarming over time, leading to his arrest. V1, the UConn student at whom Parmalee’s posts were directed, expressed emotional distress due to his escalating behavior and threats.
Parmalee had a criminal record dating back to 2002, with previous arrests for offenses such as misdemeanor sexual abuse, harassment, burglary, driving under the influence, and possession of methamphetamine. Authorities in Oregon reported no information regarding mental health calls related to Parmalee. The police reports detailed Parmalee’s concerning online posts and threats towards V1, leading to felony stalking and misdemeanor harassment and breach of peace charges filed by UConn police against him.
