Janesville Stalker Save Email Print
Reporter: Evrod Cassimy
Email Address: ECassimy@nbc15.com

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"He had asked for my daughter and I said, she wasn't here right now and I said can I take a message and he said tell her I'm going to kill her," says Karen Coplein.

This phone call is just one of hundreds made to several women in the Janesville area. And Karen Coplein's 16 year old daughter is just one of them.

"The first time was horrendous. It was my daughters and it was just terrible. It was non-stop. It was like for 3 or 4 days we had to change her phone number, her cell phone number."

Police have received reports since January from women claiming to have received calls and text messages from an unknown caller saying things like "This is the text message killer" I'm going to "kill your daughter" and I'm "On my way" "I'm going to break your windows."

"When you intimidate someone over the telephone or in person and you do it continuously and repeatedly, it meets the elements of a stalking charge," says Janesville Police Lieutenant, Keith Lawver.

Janesville Police traced the calls to the home of 36 year old Tracy Wolf. He's been arrested 11 times for making this type of call already this year and charged with stalking in most cases.

Making those phone calls has found Tracy Wolf in the Rock County Jail, a place where authorities say he could spend some serious time if convicted of this felony.

"He's admitted that he's making these phone calls and that he has a difficult time stopping," says Lawver

Karen and her daughter are now trying to put this incident behind them and hope justice will be served.

"We just wish it to be stopped. She needs to be a 16 year old and I am more afraid for her than I am myself," says Coplein.

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Posted by: K on Apr 18, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Mendota sounds like a better place for him then jail. If my mother just passed away I would not being using my time to terrorize other people. Its not like stalking charges are going to land him in jail for a long period of time. Maybe he needs a permanent trace on his phones when he is out of custody.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 04:33 PM
11 times already THIS year?? Did I read that correctly?? What a nutcase!! He does need mental services and hopefully he gets them while he rots in jail!!

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 03:37 PM
This guy is a sicko. We need to get these kind of ppl off our streets. No bail, no nothing, throw away the key. Maybe hes the one killing people in madison!

Posted by: Philly Location: Philly on Apr 18, 2008 at 01:24 PM
"Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 11:00 AM did you know that his mother just past away. he loved here very much. he is distraut not in his right mind. he would not hurt any one. he needs mental health services. we need to pray for him rather then prejudge him." Did you know that my sister is the one he threatened to kill?!? He is not distraught. He admits that he knows that what he is doing is wrong - and he can't stop. Not judge him - I dont' think so. He NEEDS to sit in jail and never be allowed near any form of communication ever again.

Posted by: Susie Location: Madison on Apr 18, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Whether his mother has recently passed away or not is irrelevant. Being distraught is not a justification for stalking.

Posted by: Ken Location: Oregon on Apr 18, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Kelly, you wonder if the guy is a fan of the show or a plain old whack-job. And the difference is????

Posted by: Kelly Location: Madison on Apr 18, 2008 at 11:05 AM
The General Hospital thing was the first thing I said when I heard about it too! I wonder if this guy is a fan of the show, or just a plain old whack-job...

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 11:00 AM
did you know that his mother just past away. he loved here very much. he is distraut not in his right mind. he would not hurt any one. he needs mental health services. we need to pray for him rather then prejudge him.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Janesville on Apr 18, 2008 at 10:55 AM
He is released on bail. He shouldn't be able to be on the streets and have the chance to hurt anyone else.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Madison on Apr 18, 2008 at 09:44 AM
nut job. get some help.

Posted by: Jen Location: Mount Horeb on Apr 18, 2008 at 09:04 AM
Anyone notice that this was just a major storyline on the soap opera General Hospital? On the show, the killer sent threatening text messages, and was known as the text message killer - which is exactly what the news was calling this guy last night. The only difference is that on the show, people were actually killed. I hope this doesn't come to that!

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 08:27 AM
He is terrorizing his victims. It reminds me of the old movies where someone is so frightened that they run out into traffic or worse. He should be locked up and kept there forever. He has done this ELEVEN TIMES? I don't think the penalty that they are using is working.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Middleton on Apr 18, 2008 at 08:24 AM
Is this guy in jail or was he released on bail? This is the type of person that needs to be locked up and get some serious help. Be fore he actually hurts or worse kills someone.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 18, 2008 at 06:17 AM
SICKO!