Paige Bueckers' Alleged Stalker Arrested, Charged After Disturbing Social Media Posts
On Monday afternoon, ESPN reported that a 40-year-old man named Robert Cole Parmalee has been charged with breach of peace, electronic stalking, and harassment of UConn star guard Paige Bueckers.
Per the ESPN release, "Parmalee previously was arrested on Aug. 27 by Connecticut State Police after an officer observed him walking along a limited-access highway near Bradley International Airport outside Hartford. According to UConn police, Parmalee told state police when picked up on the highway that he was going to see Bueckers."
In the days leading up to Parmalee's arrest, UConn basketball fans caught wind of a series of disturbing TikTok videos that, "contained dozens of references to Bueckers, including a post of a fake wedding invitation and multiple photos of Parmalee with what appears to be a diamond engagement ring."
On the same day Parmalee was arrested, X user @4katemartin reposted screenshots from some of these videos, which gained traction among UConn's fanbase.
"This can’t be serious he got the ring and all…. Paige bueckers shelter in place," the X user's caption wrote.
This can’t be serious he got the ring and all…. Paige bueckers shelter in place🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/NFl6H1qoZr
— d (@4katemartin) August 27, 2024
Per ESPN, "Parmalee also made social media posts that a UConn police officer depicted as threatening to Bueckers' friends and family. One post on his TikTok account read: "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...".
He posted an August 26 TikTok that showed him holding what appears to be plane tickets that included the caption, "I'm coming to UCONN Paige Madison Bueckers, I'll be in Hartford tomorrow morning".
Parmalee's next court appearance is scheduled for October 22.
A few days ago, a video of Bueckers detailing the craziest fan experience she has had to deal with thus far went viral, where she said, "A couple times, I've had people say that they were married to me and had the wedding."
No freakin way people actually go up to her and say this 🫠😭 pic.twitter.com/OAdnngOUwD
— Jes🍒 (@ChxrryB5) September 10, 2024
While Bueckers didn't reveal who the fan(s) that said this were, these charges against Parmalee provide a good indication.
GRANT YOUNG
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.