Northwest Indiana man charged with stalking Taylor Swift’s mansion

LaPorte County, Indiana (Wagon TV) — A man from northwest Indiana was arrested on suspicion of showing up at his Nashville home last month on the morning of Taylor Swift’s first Chicago show.

Long Beach resident Mitchell Taebel, 36, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of stalking, intimidation, invasion of privacy and harassment that threaten serious injury or death.

The investigation began March 25 after Tabler allegedly sent photos of weapons to members of Taylor Swift’s management company through social media and threatened to “destroy the weapons.”

Five days later, Tebel was accused of leaving a message to Swift’s father that he was her “soulmate” and that “he is the only one who can keep her safe.”

On April 5, Teber allegedly sent a threatening letter to one of Swift’s Eras Tour dancers via a fake Instagram account. According to court documents, Taebel posted a photo of someone firing a gun at a shooting range and said, “If there is a Vigilant sexual performance today, [referring to Swift track “Vigilante S—‘] I’m sure we’ll kill you and the other dancers and (Swift) too, I think you know what happened to Joe Alwyn [Swift’s former boyfriend]”

On the same day, Mr. Tebel contacted governors’ offices in several states to inform them that his US presidential campaign would be part of the Eras Tour, and also contacted Swift’s management company again, according to the documents. It is said that he took In the voicemail, he allegedly said he needed to meet with Swift and was going to “put a bomb in his chest.”

For the rest of April, Tebel allegedly posted threatening videos to Swift on Instagram. Court documents state that one of the captions said the singer “deserved to be shot.”

On May 5, the day before Swift’s Nashville gig, Tebel reportedly traveled to the show from his home in Long Beach. According to court documents, Mr. Tebel emerged from an unsecured door into Swift’s top-floor Nashville penthouse, which he purchased in 2009.

While there, Mr. Tebel reportedly told security that he was a “good-looking, well-dressed, popular TV host” and asked if Swift was there. A security guard called the Nashville Police Department, but the document says he left the premises before police arrived.

At Swift’s concert the next day, Ms. Tebel was allowed in because she had a ticket from a third party, even though she was on the “security threat/concern list.”

Upon entering the venue, Mr. Tebel was allegedly positioned in an area where management and touring performers passed him on their way to the stage. According to the documents, he was recognized by security and immediately questioned about his “obsession” with Swift, as well as his appearance at Swift’s mansion.

Security escorted Ms. Taebel from the venue and returned to her home in Long Beach.

After returning home, Taebel admitted to visiting Swift’s mansion and posted a racist rant on Instagram, according to the document.

“I went [Swift’s] In my opinion, anyone who thinks it’s illegal in any way to go to someone’s apartment and see if they want to see them should be killed. They should die on the spot from a heart attack,” said Mr Tebel as part of the rant.

“I didn’t expect a white man to come up there and talk to[Swift]the same way I did,” Tebel concluded during a rant that allegedly used the N-word more than once.

On May 11, attorneys for Swift’s management company were issued a temporary restraining order against Tebel in Nashville.

Between May 16 and May 18, Taebel posted several videos on Instagram, according to the documents. In one of them, Mr. Tebel is said to have said, “It is my will that all those involved in the non-meeting shall be executed.”

These videos were used to grant an extension of a temporary restraining order, documents say.

Mr. Taebel was indicted in Indiana on May 31 and bail was set at $15,000 the next day. Records show he was arrested on the morning of June 2nd, the opening day of Swift’s show in Chicago, and is still in prison.

Mr. Tebel was appointed public defender. After the aforementioned acquittal, the next trial date is scheduled for July 27.