What terrified Caitlin Clark told police about her stalker as his identity is revealed

Caitlin Clark was forced to change her public appearance after disturbing messages from an online stalker left her fearing for her safety, according to reports.

A Denton, Texas man was arrested over the weekend for stalking the WNBA star after he moved to Indianapolis — the city where she does business with the Indiana Fever — and bombarding her with sexually explicit messages.

Michael Lewis, 55, has been charged with stalking – a Level 5 felony – after targeting 22-year-old Clark with a series of disturbing messages on X over the past month.

She is said to have come forward and helped report Lewis to authorities, with Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears praising her for being “an example to all women.” Following his arrest, police released an image of Lewis’ mugshot on Monday.

And according to The GuardianClark told officers that the messages had scared her so much that she even changed her public appearance.

It’s unclear how exactly she changed her appearance, although the women’s basketball sensation hasn’t seen any significant or more permanent changes to her appearance lately.

Caitlin Clark was forced to change her public appearances after being targeted by a stalker

Michael Lewis, 55, has been charged after attacking 22-year-old Clark with a series of disturbing messages

Fox59 News Anchor Angela Ganote reported Monday that Indianapolis officers first spoke to Lewis on Jan. 8 after discovering the messages were coming from IP addresses in the city while he was staying at a hotel on N. Market Street.

He allegedly told police he was in an “imaginary relationship” with the women’s basketball sensation before continuing to send her sexually threatening messages, leading to his eventual arrest over the weekend.

Lewis’s

He then posted on December 27: “This fantasy Caitlin relationship is changing me for the better. . And about an hour ago I felt strong Caitlin feelings. .like sensual. .Wow’.

A day later, he seemed to suggest he was already facing a stalking charge, telling Clark in another bizarre message, “I already have one foot on a banana peel and the other on a stalking charge.” . So I can’t wear your hoodie. .will not look good in court’.

“@CaitlinClark22 I’m going to touch myself,” read a separate post on December 31. ‘Not if, but only when the baby is born’.

On January 3, five days before police were first alerted to his social media behavior, Lewis also wrote to Clark: “Do you think I can get your Wi-Fi password? It has locked me out.”

Lewis sent her a number of disturbing and sexually threatening messages on X

The women’s basketball sensation came forward and helped report him to authorities

Clark, pictured with boyfriend Connor McCaffery, has been praised for her courage in coming forward by Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears

He also added, “Can I come up and get some sugar?” . . . . Sugar’.

The next day, Lewis seemed to suggest that he had moved from Texas to Indianapolis to be closer to Clark, who had joined the Indiana Fever the previous year.

He wrote: ‘I had absolutely no plans to ever come back here. . But I sent you a message saying I want to be with you everywhere. .and then my father says: what are you doing here?

‘[T]then came the decision of all decisions. .I finally had to choose 1. . . Fla or Indy. . omg not easy. .not at all. . I had invested a ton. As I looked at the landscape, my thoughts kept coming back to you. . There’s just no one better for me. .it’s not even close’.

A few days later, he then shared this chilling message: “This is 911, what’s your emergency? . . Caitlin fell in the snow and we can’t find her anywhere. It’s like she’s disappeared. . . . Copper monkey, that funky monkey, copper monkey junkie, that funky monkey.

Lewis’s messages became increasingly sexually threatening over the next week, with the last coming on January 12.

He told Clark in one of the messages, “I am your slave. so work me out’.

Another asked the Fever player: “Will you make out with me?” after another post read: ‘urp*****needsarealgoodpounding’.

College basketball star Paige Bueckers (right) was also stalked and harassed last year by Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, (left) who pleaded guilty to a stalking charge

Parmalee posted photos of an engagement ring that he apparently wanted to give to Bueckers

“@CaitlinClark22 you don’t like sex, do you?” said another: “only video games and sports.”

Prosecutor Mears praised Clark for her courage in coming forward after helping police arrest and charge Lewis over the weekend.

“No matter how prominent you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence,” he said. ‘It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, and that’s why many don’t.

“In doing so, the victim sets an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.”

Clark, who has been dating boyfriend Connor McCaffery for nearly two years, is nevertheless not the only high-profile women’s basketball player to be targeted by a stalker in recent months.

A 40-year-old man who stalked and harassed Connecticut star Paige Bueckers pleaded guilty to stalking last month after posting on social media that he planned to marry her.

Robert Cole Parmalee, who had an engagement ring and lingerie on him when he was first arrested in August, received a one-year suspended sentence and three years’ probation, a court clerk said.

He originally faced charges of stalking, breach of the peace and harassment, but those were replaced by a single charge of second-degree stalking.

Related Post