Man Accused Of Stalking Paige Bueckers Made Bizarre Claims: Police

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A 40-year-old man accused of stalking and harassing UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers made bizarre marriage claims, according to an arrest warrant obtained by ESPN on Monday (September 16).

Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, of Grants Pass, Oregon, who was also referred to as Parmelee in various documents and social media accounts, was charged with breach of peace, electronic stalking and harassment after being detained by UConn Police on Friday (September 13). Officials in UConn's communications department became aware of Parmalee in June after receiving emails in which he was described as "rambling," which included making claims that he was a member of the royal family and wanted to marry a member of the Huskies women's basketball team, campus police confirmed.

Parmalee made dozens of references to Bueckers, 22, on his social media accounts, which included posts of a fake wedding invitation, as well as several photos of himself with an apparent diamond engagement ring. The suspect also shared social media posts that the UConn Police Department deemed to be threatening to Bueckers' friends and family, as well as a TikTok in which he wrote, "And if I cannot live with a woman of my choosing, [Bueckers], then I will choose to die, and I will choose to take all of you that [op]pose me, oppose us, to hell, and return, king...," according to the affidavit obtained by ESPN.

Parmalee was previously arrested by Connecticut State Police when he was found walking along a limited-access highway near Bradley International Airport on August 27, at which point he told officers he was going to see Bueckers. Dispatch notified the arresting officer of Parmalee's outstanding warrant issued out of Oregon and he was facing extradition before the state planned to move to dismiss those charges.

Paramlee had previously shared a social media post in which he revealed plans to propose to Bueckers and get her expelled from UConn prior to his August 27 arrest. The suspect reportedly sent videos to Bueckers, identified as Victim 1, via Instagram beginning in February, which the point guard told police she never responded to, according to the affidavit obtained by ESPN. Bueckers reportedly told UConn Police that she was concerned about the safety of herself, her family and her teammates on Friday, according to the affidavit.

A UConn athletics spokesperson said neither Bueckers, nor women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma planned to issue a public statement in response to the incident. Protective and no-contact orders were issued for Bueckers, identified as "PB," in court on Monday and Palmalee, who is also accused of emailing officials at USC, LSU and a sports agent, would be subject to "intense pretrial supervision" and GPS monitoring if he were to make bail prior to his scheduled October 22 Connecticut Superior Court appearance, police confirmed via ESPN.

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