Crime House Daily: Night Watch

“My Nightmare Stalker”: Inside The 12-Year Hunt For a Predator

Host: Katie Ring
Date: December 5, 2025

Overview

This episode delves into the harrowing, true story of Emmy Award-winning actor Eva LaRue and her daughter Kaya, who survived 12 years of relentless, escalating stalking. Despite the high-profile nature of the case and law enforcement’s best efforts, Eva and Kaya’s tormentor eluded capture until groundbreaking forensic genealogy finally identified him. Host Katie Ring walks listeners through the origins of the stalking, its psychological impact, the pursuit of justice, and the profound flaws in the current legal system’s treatment of stalking victims. The episode ties in with the recent release of the documentary “My Nightmare Stalker” and raises powerful questions about victim protection and criminal accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Eva LaRue’s Background and Rise to Fame

• [03:01-07:38]
  • Eva LaRue grew up in Norco, CA, under challenging circumstances, with family discord and a drive to escape poverty.
  • Early start in acting/modeling, including commercials and beauty pageants.
  • Rise to stardom on All My Children (Dr. Maria Santos Grey), leading to a Daytime Emmy nomination, and later, a pivotal role on CSI Miami.
  • Personal life intersected with professional: marriages, motherhood, and resilience through public and private struggles.

The Stalking Begins

• [07:39-11:24]
  • The first threatening letter (signed “Freddy Krueger”) arrives at the height of Eva’s CSI Miami fame.
  • The letters contain graphic, ritualistic threats. The frequency and explicitness escalate rapidly.
  • Law enforcement’s initial response is frustratingly inadequate:

    “They noted the incident and said, unless you were raped, assaulted, beat up, or your house was broken into, there’s nothing we can do.” (Katie Ring, 08:17)

  • FBI involvement secured due to the letters’ violent interstate nature. DNA and fingerprints are retrieved but yield no hits in CODIS or AFIS.

The Emotional Toll: Living Under Siege

• [11:25-14:31]
  • Eva and Kaya endure intense fear, move homes multiple times, and undertake drastic security measures.
  • “Terror seems like such a small word when you’re having a full body breakdown.” (Eva LaRue, quoted by Katie Ring, 11:17)
  • Eva’s constant anxiety is mirrored in her daughter, who begins suffering nightmares and panic attacks.

Safety Concerns and Public Exposure

• [14:32-16:58]
  • Incident dubbed “GateGate”: Eva’s attempt to fortify her home is thwarted by local ordinances; during televised proceedings, her address is read aloud—triggering paparazzi attention and new fears.
  • A brief period of security while living with then-fiancé Joe Cappuccio, but the stalker escalates, sending letters to Joe’s workplace.
  • Divorce is precipitated in part by the relentless stalking.

The Threat Expands to Kaya

• [16:59-19:45]
  • 2016 brings a chilling shift: letters arrive at their new address, now addressed directly to Kaya.
  • Kaya, in high school, develops severe anxiety, feeling “in a cage”—constant hypervigilance, panic attacks, and dread of violence.

  • “Eva described those words as absolute psychological terrorism. She said her worst fear was that the threats would become a reality, especially because they were receiving so many letters. By this point, they had gotten almost 40.” (Katie Ring, 18:16)

The Case Breaks Open: FBI and Forensic Genealogy

• [19:46-25:20]
  • Crime escalates in 2019: the stalker impersonates Kaya’s father in a call to her school, nearly luring her outside.
  • New FBI agents Steve Kramer and Steve Bush (“Steve and Steve”) bring genetic genealogy techniques, previously used for the Golden State Killer, to the case.
  • Using DNA from old letters, the FBI builds family trees via databases like 23andMe/Ancestry and identifies James David Rogers in Ohio as their prime suspect.
  • Agents stake out Rogers, collect a DNA sample from an Arby’s straw, and confirm the match.

Notable Quote

• “Before Steve and Steve, the FBI was just hoping the stalker would get arrested and they would finally get a hit. But it never happened. But the men figured out that maybe they could use their tactics to prevent a case instead of just solving cold cases.” (Katie Ring, 22:46)

Arrest, Trial, and Disappointing Justice

• [25:21-27:53]
  • Rogers is arrested in November 2019; his mother and sister are oblivious to his crimes, but childhood obsession with Eva's soap opera role is clear.
  • The case marks a national first: genealogy solves a federal stalking case.
  • Rogers pleads guilty but receives a relatively light sentence: 40 months (just over 3 years), later reduced with early release after 24 months served.
  • Eva’s victim-impact statement:

    “I forgive you, but I cannot forget. The fear is with me forever.” (Eva LaRue statement, 27:23)

Systemic Failure and the Need for Reform

• [27:54-29:40]
  • Katie Ring expresses outrage and calls for legislative and prosecutorial reform:

    “How can someone only be punished for 24 months after terrorizing a woman and her daughter for 12 years? He ruined the quality of their lives, ruined relationships, made them constantly look over their shoulder thinking any person at any time could be the person who would come after them…” (Katie Ring, 28:10)

  • The emotional effects—panic attacks, nightmares, relationship damage—are not equitably addressed by current stalking laws or sentencing.

Moving Forward: Advocacy and Awareness

• [29:41-30:30]
  • Eva and Kaya choose to speak publicly through Paramount’s “My Nightmare Stalker” documentary.
  • The podcast ends with a call for societal attention to stalking and hope for progress in victim protection.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Law Enforcement Inaction:

  “Unless you were raped, assaulted, beat up, or your house was broken into, there’s nothing we can do.”
  —Katie Ring quoting police response, [08:17]

• On Living with Fear:

  “Terror seems like such a small word when you’re having a full body breakdown.”
  —Eva LaRue, [11:17]

• On the Impact on Kaya:

  “She started having panic attacks in her classes and constantly feared she would come home to her mom tied up, mutilated or dead.”
  —Katie Ring, [17:45]

• On Recapturing Power:

  “Once [Kaya] heard this man who had ruined their lives give ridiculous excuses..., she popped up and spoke her truth. Her mom was so proud. And it was a moment where she felt Kaya really took her power back.”
  —Katie Ring, [27:07]

• On Judicial Failure:

  “How are these devastating effects on these victims not met with the same level of repercussions? …He ruined the quality of their lives, ruined relationships, made them constantly look over their shoulder thinking any person at any time could be the person who would come after them and do these horrible things, he wrote. His actions caused nightmares, panic attacks, and hopelessness.”
  —Katie Ring, [28:10]

Key Timestamps

• [03:01] – Eva LaRue’s background and acting career
• [07:39] – The first threatening letters arrive
• [08:17] – Police’s lackluster initial response
• [11:17] – Eva on the emotional cost of stalking
• [14:32] – GateGate: address revealed, forced move
• [16:59] – Letters now target Kaya personally
• [19:46] – School incident: stalker attempts contact via phone
• [22:46] – FBI uses genetic genealogy
• [25:21] – Rogers identified and arrested
• [27:23] – Eva’s victim-impact statement
• [28:10] – Host calls for systemic reform
• [29:41] – Eva and Kaya step forward as advocates

Tone and Style

Katie Ring’s narration is deeply empathetic, frequently indignant, and unwavering in advocacy for victims' rights. She relays Eva and Kaya’s story with both journalistic clarity and passionate commentary on the gaps in the justice system, often letting their own words underscore the persistent trauma and resilience.

Conclusion

“Night Watch: My Nightmare Stalker” follows the entire terrifying arc of Eva and Kaya’s ordeal, highlighting systemic failures, the power of forensic innovation, and the ongoing need for true justice for stalking victims. The episode serves as both a cautionary tale and a call to action, spotlighting a mother and daughter’s courage and the critical reforms still needed in how we protect against, prosecute, and punish stalking.