In the month of April alone, Taylor Swift has had at least two obsessed fans make headlines, and two other people break into her various homes.
Bruce Rowley, a crazed fan, robbed a bank in Ansonia, Connecticut and proceeded to drive to Swift's house in Rhode Island and throw the money over her fence. His thought process was that the money would win her over. According to the police reports, Rowley told cops that he had tried to call Swift to let her know about the money, but she never answered (shocker). Rowley also said that he had planned to donate the rest of the money to Ansonia PD, another attempt to impress Swift.
The fan was booked for robbery in the second degree and larceny in the fourth degree.
Then there was Julius Sandrock, a 38-year-old man who had driven from Colorado to Beverly Hills in order to meet with Swift. Police were called, and after searching his car, they determined there was enough evidence to book Sandrock for felony stalking. According to Beverly Hills PD, Sandrock's car was found to contain an empty gun holster, live rounds of ammunition, latex gloves, black gloves, a knife and multiple types of masks, black rope, Rx medication, and psychologist
Another person, Roger Alvarado, broke into Swift's NYC home, took a shower, and then fell asleep. He climbed a ladder, smashed the window with his hand, and broke into the apartment. Swift had just purchased this property and has never actually lived in it, but Alvarado was charged with stalking, burglary, and criminal mischief.
Then there's Justin Lilly, who got sentenced to three days in jail, plus three years of summary probation, after scaling the wall outside of Swift's Beverly Hills mansion. He began yelling Swift's name, even though she was not home, and eventually police showed up and charged him with one misdemeanor count of trespassing, and for refusing to leave private property.
But even though Swift has certainly had the most stalker trouble recently, that doesn't mean other celebrities haven't had their own problems with it.
1. Gwenyth Paltrow
In 1999, Dante Soiu began sending letters and packages to the Oscar-winning actress, which included pornography, earrings, and a statement saying he wanted to "excise her sin with a scalpel." Soiu also stated his desire to marry Paltrow.
He was found not guilty of stalking the actress by reason of insanity, and instead of prison, Soiu was sentenced to years in a mental institution. After his release, however, the stalked sent 66 letters to Paltrow between the years of 2009 and 2015. The case went to court, where Paltrow testified about the inappropriate communication.
Soiu denied all charges, and said he only wanted a pen pal. Even after leaving the mental instistuion, he wanted Paltrow to know he had changed.
"I was trying to show I had changed and I had become a different person," Soiu said in court. " wanted to show a new face towards her. I wanted her to say flat out, 'I don't want to marry you.' That way I would have a definite response from her."
Soiu was acquitted by a jury.
2. Nicole Kidman
While her marriage to Tom Cruise was falling apart, Kidman was also dealing with Matthew Hooker. Hooker constantly called Kidman's home and sent her love poems. He even asked to tutor her son and daughter, Connor and Bella, whom she shared with Cruise.
Kidman said she feared for her safety and security, and a restraining order was granted. Hooker had to stay at least 250 yards away from Kidman at all times.
As for Hooker, he claims he just wanted a date. He also wanted the restraining order dropped so that it wouldn't ruin his "political aspirations."
"I have never stalked anyone in my life...that includes obviously Nicole," Hooker told news outlets. "All I know is, I've never been violent. I've never been angry, I've never harassed anyone. I tried to meet a woman and date a woman and that's all. I don't want my good name smeared with the name 'stalker.' I don't know why she has told these lies about me but they are very unjust and I deny almost everything on the complaint. I was attracted to her. I wrote her a love poem. I wrote her a letter. I went by her house to ask to take her to the ballet and to take her kids out to ice cream. That's it."
3. Alex Rodriguez
Many people may think that only women can have stalkers, but that's not the case. Grim LeRouge ran onto the field at Yankee stadium, and it was discovered that he had pictures of former baseball star A-Rod with an X over his face, as well as a hand-written note that said "You have to go bud, you've ruined too many of our white queens." Another photo LeRouge had was of A-Rod's girlfriend at the time, Cameron Diaz.
4. Catherine Zeta-Jones
Between 2003 and 2004, Dawnette Knight became obsessed with Michael Douglas, and in her mind, there was only one thing standing in her way: his wife. Knight began sending threatening letters to Zeta-Jones, her husband, and other acquaintances, detailing her plans on how to kill the actress. One letter said "We are going to slice her up like meat on a bone and feed her to the dogs."
In 2005, Knight pleaded no contest to the charges of stalking and threatening, and was sentenced to three years in prison with credit for time served. During the trial, Zeta-Jones sent a letter that was read by the prosecutor:
"You have profoundly affected me in how I conduct my life. ... Your actions will be with me the rest of my life "” how I will be constantly observing, looking over my shoulder. You will never be famous, you will never be infamous, you are just a criminal."
Knight apologized for her actions, saying "I hope one day the victim will forgive me. I am sorry. I think about it all the time."
5. Conan O'Brien
In 2007, a Boston priest by the name of Reverend David Ajemian was arrested after stalking late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien. He allegedly sent threatening notes to O'Brien on the church letterhead, and sent letters to his parents as well. Ajemian referred to himself as "your priest stalker."
After being denied into a taping of O'Brien's show, the priest sent a letter saying, "I want a public confession before I ever consider giving you absolution - or a spot on your couch. Is this the way you treat your most dangerous fans?"
Sources also say that Ajemian followed O'Brien to Paris, and then sent him a postcard from the same town the talk show host was in.
The priest was charged with stalking in the fourth degree, and two counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree.
6. Jennifer Lawrence
Lawrence shot to fame pretty quickly, and the spotlight doesn't come without consequence. Han Cong Zhao stalked both Lawrence and the rest of her family by sending threatening emails and phone calls about the star's safety. He even blamed Lawrence's brother for putting her in danger, because she was in Boston right before the Boston bombing. Zhao also referred to himself as Lawrence's "husband for life." While interviewed by police, Zhao said he was the second coming of Jesus, and that Lawrence's mother "had what he needed to complete his journey."
Zhao was arrested, and held without bail.
7. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez
The iconic singer has one of the most notable and most tragic cases of a stalker. In 1992, Selena's father granted permission to Yolanda Saldivar, an avid fan, to start a fan club for his daughter. Just three years into the fan club's start, Selena's family came to learn that Yolanda was embezzling money from the group. She was fired, which prompted Yolanda to set up a meeting with Selena to try and work things out.
Sadly, during their meeting at a Days Inn, Yolanda shot Selena. The singer ran for help, leaving a 392-foot trail of blood from the room to the clerk. She collapsed at the desk, and Yolanda chased after Selena calling her a "b****." Selena managed to tell the clerk who shot her and what room it was, and the clerk called authorities.
Fans gathered as the news started to trickle out, and Yolanda tried to leave in her pickup truck. Authorities spotted her, and after a nine-and-a-half hour stand-off with police and FBI, she finally surrendered.
Selena died after almost an hour in surgery.
8. Rihanna
In 2015, Rihanna dealt with a man who went by the names Alex Mercer and Ralph Alexander, who was sending the singer death threats on Twitter. Things escalated so far, he even took a selfie of himself outside Rihanna's home.
"Should have killed @rihanna a minute back I would be good right now," one Tweet said.
"I use guns, bout to get a gun license," said another.
The man also allegedly sent the singer a video of himself masturbating. He was eventually arrested and admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
9. Sandra Bullock
Bullock's encounter with her stalker was life-threatening, and she had to call the authorities herself. Joshua Corbett broke into the actress's home...while she was there. At 1am, Bullock heard a loud noise inside her home. She opened the door to her bedroom and Corbett was standing right in front of her wearing dark clothing. Bullock locked herself in a closet and called the police.
When cops arrived, Corbett began yelling "Sandy, I'm sorry. Please don't press charges!"
While Corbett was unarmed, he was carrying a notebook filled with magazine cut-outs of Bullock, and hand-written notes, some detailing how he wanted to sexually assault the actress.
"I will forever be thinking of you and Louie [sic], my son, as you are my wife by law, the law of God and you belong to me and me to you."
Police searched Corbett's home and found seven guns, including assault rifles. The stalker was sentenced to an in-patient treatment facility, but was released less than six months later. He began attending an outpatient program and was monitored frequently.
10. Selena Gomez
Gomez's stalker told police he had "over fifty conversations with God a day, about killing Ms. Gomez." Thomas Brodnicki was so convinced that he was a danger to the singer, he asked for a restraining order to be issued.
"I believe that a restraining order should be issued against me to prevent me from trying to contact Selena Gomez. I do not wish to object to the restraining order against me because I know it is the only thing that will make me stay away from Selena."
Turns out, Gomez agreed with the crazed man, and filed for the restraining order.
"I am in extreme fear of Mr. Brodnikci due to his direct threat on my life, his obsessive, harassing and threatening behavior towards me as well as his criminal history of stalking," Gomez said in her declaration. "I feel that my personal safety as well as the safety of those around me is in jeopardy."
The order was granted.
