East Valley stalker who sent '9 million messages' shocked it 'took this long' to get arrested, police say

GILBERT, Ariz. - An East Valley man who claimed he bombarded a former high school classmate with "about 9 million messages" was arrested Oct. 12 after leaving bags filled with knives and animal feces on her doorstep — and threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a Gay Pride parade, authorities said.

What we know:

Austin Jay Curtis, 32, of Gilbert, is facing felony charges of making a terrorist threat and stalking, as well as a misdemeanor count of threatening and intimidating, according to Maricopa County court documents. A judge ordered Curtis held on a $75,000 cash bond following an investigation that led Chandler police to seize multiple firearms, including an assault-style rifle, from his residence.

Bomb squad called in

Timeline:

Officers were called to a Chandler neighborhood late Sunday night after a woman reported that Curtis came to her house and left several suspicious packages outside her front door. While the victim remained inside and did not see him, she told police she clearly recognized his voice shouting her name. Because Curtis had allegedly made prior references to bombs in voice recordings, a bomb squad responded to inspect the delivery. Technicians found no explosives, but discovered several knives, a set of keys, dog waste bags and other miscellaneous items.

The victim told investigators that she attended high school with Curtis more than a decade ago, but the two were never friends and never had a romantic relationship. Despite having had no contact with him in years, she reported receiving more than 100 voicemails and social media messages across TikTok and Facebook. Police noted she had previously filed a harassment report against him in July. In the recent messages, Curtis allegedly threatened to stalk her, rape her and cut off her limbs, while also warning that he planned to "drive a U-Haul through a parade of homosexuals and start firing at everybody."

The following day, as the woman met with detectives at the Chandler Police Department, Curtis repeatedly called her cellphone. An officer listened in as she answered, and Curtis reportedly admitted during the conversation that he was "obsessed" with her, had aggressively banged on her door the night before and tracked down her home address online. Even after she repeatedly ordered him to cease all contact, Curtis continued calling her phone, police say.

Chandler officers arrested Curtis at his Gilbert apartment near Ray Road and Val Vista Drive later that evening.

'Can't separate what's real and what's not'

What he's saying:

During a post-arrest interview, Curtis estimated he had sent the woman "about 9 million messages" over the past 18 months, stating he developed an obsession with her and had fixated on others in the past. He reportedly admitted visiting her home multiple times and claimed he left the knives on her doorstep so she could "protect herself," telling investigators he believed she was trapped in a cult.

Curtis allegedly told detectives that his heavy use of Adderall leaves him unable to separate reality from delusion. When questioned about the threats of rape and a parade mass casualty attack, Curtis dismissed them as "jokes" and claimed he makes incendiary statements to test the boundaries of First Amendment free speech. Investigators noted that Curtis even expressed surprise that it had taken authorities this long to take him into custody.

Dig deeper:

A search warrant executed at Curtis's home yielded several firearms, including an assault-style rifle, as well as bladed weapons and the electronic devices used to send the messages.

Court records indicate the victim was left terrified by the escalating harassment, prompting her to flee to a hotel for shelter, request police escorts and file for a restraining order. Curtis has a prior criminal record in Arizona that includes arrests for domestic violence assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Map of the area where arrest and search warrant were executed:

What's next:

During his initial court appearance, a Maricopa County judge set Curtis's bond at $75,000 and ordered that, if released, he must wear an electronic ankle monitor, obey a strict curfew and have zero contact with the victim. He is scheduled to appear in court for a status conference on Oct. 19, followed by a preliminary hearing on Oct. 22.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear whether investigators are seeking additional potential victims after Curtis admitted to fixating on several other people in the past, or if his alleged threats targeted a specific Pride event.

Crime and Public SafetyChandlerGilbertNews