A 36-year-old man is facing felony charges after authorities say he stalked a person he met through the dating app Grindr, escalated the behavior over several weeks, and ultimately broke into the victim’s home before leaving a series of threatening voicemail messages.
Caleb J. Stewart was arrested Dec. 28, 2025, and charged with stalking under G.S. 14-277.3A and breaking or entering under G.S. 14-54, according to jail records.
Investigators allege Stewart’s behavior began shortly after meeting the victim on Grindr. What initially appeared to be a casual date reportedly turned into persistent and unwanted contact after the victim attempted to end communication. Police say Stewart continued messaging and calling despite being told to stop, a pattern authorities describe as escalating and increasingly hostile.
According to investigators, Stewart allegedly showed up uninvited at the victim’s residence on multiple occasions before the break-in, at times knocking late at night and leaving when no one answered. Police reports indicate the victim expressed fear and repeatedly attempted to disengage.
The situation allegedly escalated when Stewart unlawfully entered the victim’s home while the resident was away. After the break-in, police say Stewart left several voicemail messages that were overtly threatening in nature.
According to investigators, the voicemails allegedly included statements such as:
- “You can’t ignore me forever.”
- “I know where you live, and I’m not done with you.”
- “You should have answered me. Now you’re going to deal with me.”
Authorities say the tone of the messages shifted from angry to menacing, contributing to the stalking charge and prompting immediate safety concerns.
Court documents indicate investigators also reviewed prior communications between Stewart and the victim that allegedly showed a progression from repeated apologies and pleas for attention to anger, entitlement, and intimidation after the victim cut off contact.
Police say this alleged pattern of fixation, unwanted contact, and escalation aligns with behaviors commonly associated with stalking cases, particularly those originating from online dating encounters.
Stewart remains in custody pending a court appearance. No information on bond or legal representation was immediately available.
Authorities urged individuals using dating apps to trust their instincts, document concerning behavior, and report threats or repeated unwanted contact before situations escalate.