Man accused of using military training to stalk Olympia woman

Olympia police arrested a 40-year-old man suspected of stalking his ex-girlfriend and threatening her current boyfriend.

The ex-girlfriend reported finding a GPS tracking device on her car and said she believed Cory D. Schuyler used his Army training to stalk her.

Schuyler was arrested Monday and appeared before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson. Wilson set bail at $25,000 and found probable cause for charges of felony stalking and domestic violence stalking.

Deputy Prosecutor Joe Wheeler said the alleged stalking went on for months, and the Army tried to resolve the problem outside of court. However, the Army’s efforts didn’t work, Wheeler said.

“I believe this is a very scary individual,” Wheeler said.

Wilson said the allegations were significantly concerning, especially given the length of time the behavior continued.

Court documents give the following account:

The Olympia woman reported to police that she and Schuyler dated for about eight months, but she attempted to end the relationship last summer. She started dating another man, and Schuyler started to harass them.

A few months ago, the woman began receiving text messages from an unknown number documenting where she went. Her new boyfriend received similar messages. He reported receiving messages accusing him of cheating on the woman and also threatening him. The man told police that he was worried about his safety and the safety of his daughter.

Once, the man received a text message containing a photo of his girlfriend’s car parked near his house.

Another time, the new boyfriend parked his car outside the woman’s house. When he tried to start his car, the engine malfunctioned. A mechanic found a foreign substance in the car’s fuel filter. The man believed that Schuyler had vandalized his car.

The woman found a tracking device under the rear bumper of her car. She checked her boyfriend’s car and found one there, too. She confronted Schuyler.

Schuyler told the woman he was “trying to protect her.”

The woman reported that Schuyler has weapons and surveillance expertise because of his Army training. She said she feared for her safety.

Schuyler serves as a sergeant first class in the Army, according to court documents.

This story was originally published February 14, 2017 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Man accused of using military training to stalk Olympia woman."