Stalking
A pattern of repeated, unwanted conduct directed at a specific person that causes reasonable fear or substantial emotional distress. Federal law criminalizes stalking involving interstate travel or communications.
Definition
Stalking is a course of conduct involving repeated, unwanted attention, harassment, contact, or monitoring directed at a specific individual that causes that person to fear for their safety or experience significant emotional distress. Unlike a single threatening act, stalking consists of a pattern of behavior that may include following the victim, appearing at their home or workplace, making unwanted phone calls, sending messages, monitoring online activity, or using surveillance.
Under federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 2261A, stalking becomes a federal offense when it involves interstate or foreign travel, or uses interstate communications facilities such as the mail, telephone, or internet. The statute requires proof that the perpetrator acted with intent to kill, injure, harass, intimidate, or place the victim under surveillance. The conduct must either place the person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to themselves or an immediate family member, or cause, attempt to cause, or reasonably be expected to cause substantial emotional distress to the victim.
The federal definition emphasizes that stalking is not measured by a single incident but by a course of conduct—a pattern of behavior over time. This recognizes that individual acts might appear innocuous in isolation, but when viewed collectively demonstrate a persistent campaign of unwanted attention. The victim's response is also key: the fear experienced must be objectively reasonable, not merely subjective anxiety.
In true crime contexts, stalking often precedes more violent crimes and is frequently documented in cases involving domestic violence, celebrity harassment, or workplace violence. The behavior may escalate over time, beginning with seemingly minor contact and progressing to more intrusive or threatening acts. Modern stalking increasingly involves cyberstalking—using digital technologies, social media, GPS tracking, and other electronic means to monitor, harass, or threaten victims.
Related entries
Read more
Matthew Hardy — Britain's Most Prolific Cyberstalker
Matthew Hardy is a British cyberstalking case in which an unemployed man from Cheshire terrorised at least 62 women over 11 years using fake social-media accounts before being jailed for 8 years.
The Cari Farver Case — Digital Deception and Murder
The Cari Farver case is a Nebraska murder in which victim Cari Farver was killed in 2012, then impersonated for years by her killer Shanna Golyar through tens of thousands of fake messages.
Related articles
Alt om Cari Farver-sagen: dokumentarer, bøger og podcasts
Shanna Golyar myrdede Cari Farver i november 2012 og brugte derefter ofrets telefon og profiler til at sende tusindvis af falske beskeder i årevis. Her er det samlede overblik over alle dokumentarer, serier, podcasts og bøger om sagen.
Matthew Hardy — Britain's Most Prolific Cyberstalker
Matthew Hardy is a British cyberstalking case in which an unemployed man from Cheshire terrorised at least 62 women over 11 years using fake social-media accounts before being jailed for 8 years.
Anatomy of A Stalker: Podcast Explores the Psychology of Stalkers
A new true crime podcast from Crime+Investigation and Cue Podcasts dives into the psychology of stalkers, exploring their motives and potential for rehabilitation — told through journalist Ruchira Sharma's approach to an often-overlooked form of criminal behavior.
New Podcast Explores the Mind Behind the Stalker
Crime+Investigation has released the podcast series 'Anatomy of A Stalker', in which journalist Ruchira Sharma investigates what drives stalkers and whether they can ever be rehabilitated.
The Cari Farver Case — Digital Deception and Murder
The Cari Farver case is a Nebraska murder in which victim Cari Farver was killed in 2012, then impersonated for years by her killer Shanna Golyar through tens of thousands of fake messages.
Top 4 True Crime Podcasts About Stalking
Stalking is one of the most underestimated forms of crime, yet it can escalate all the way to murder. The KrimiNyt editorial team has selected four already-reviewed podcast episodes covering digital harassment, identity theft, years-long physical pursuit, and psychological analysis of perpetrators.
Danish Stalking: Inside a Growing True Crime Problem
Denmark has developed specialized resources to address stalking cases, including dedicated centers and documented accounts of obsessive behavior. Recent cases and podcasts have brought attention to the prevalence of stalking in the Nordic country.
Danish True Crime Podcast Mørkeland Explores Swedish Crimes
The Danish true crime podcast Mørkeland released Episode 304 on January 18, 2026, focusing on criminal cases in Sweden. The episode title references 'Sweden's worst sadist' and an escape from a stalker, continuing the show's international coverage of serious crimes.
The Cari Farver Murder: Three Years of Digital Deception
In November 2012, Cari Farver vanished from Omaha, Nebraska, after a brief relationship with Dave Kroupa. What followed was an unprecedented case of digital impersonation: thousands of harassing messages sent from Farver's phone over three years—not by her, but by her killer.
Keith Morrison Investigates the Cari Farver Mystery
Journalist Keith Morrison examines the puzzling disappearance of Cari Farver, a single mother whose vanishing weeks into a new romance triggered a cascade of threatening messages, stalking, and violence. The case unfolds across Morrison's podcast 'Something About Cari,' available on major streaming platforms.
When Control Becomes Murder: The Alice Ruggles Case
Harry Gunn murdered his ex-girlfriend Alice Ruggles on September 25, 2016, in Gateshead, England, after months of obsessive stalking that included demands for location proof and outfit approval. His conviction exposed a pattern of escalating coercive control that ended in tragedy.
Mystery Man Rings Doorbell With a Secret Gift in Aarhus
An unknown man showed up at the door of a young woman named Louise at a residential complex in Aarhus, Denmark, on a mild spring afternoon, claiming to have a secret gift for her. The Danish true crime podcast Mørkeland covers the unsettling encounter in episode 295.