Basketball coach's chronic stalker wants to be released from jail awaiting her May trial

Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier
·2 min read

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Lindsey Baker is criminally obsessed with stalking Purdue women's basketball Coach Katie Gearlds and her recent actions suggest she's not stopping.

While in prison for stalking the coach in 2021, Baker wrote to Gearlds, according to prosecutors.

Now Baker wants to be released from the Tippecanoe County Jail until her trial next month on charges of stalking Gearlds.

Baker stalked the coach from prison by mailing letters, according to prosecutors. She sent the letters while having a no-contact order barring her from any direct or indirect communications with Gearlds, according to prosecutors.

Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds welcomes the Purdue Boilermakers men’s basketball team after defeating Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game, Sunday, March 31, 2024, at Purdue University Airport in West Lafayette, Ind.
Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds welcomes the Purdue Boilermakers men’s basketball team after defeating Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game, Sunday, March 31, 2024, at Purdue University Airport in West Lafayette, Ind.

Baker was released from prison the first week of October, and the stalking ramped up that week. Baker sent letters, emails and flowers to Gearlds, according to prosecutors. On Oct. 10, Baker emailed Gearlds one time. The next day, Baker sent five emails.

Police arrested Baker on Oct. 11, and she's been in jail since that day. That hasn't stopped her from trying to reach Gearlds, with whom she previously had a relationship.

In an April 11 letter to the court asking to be released, Baker assured the court that she would never harm Gearlds, whom she described as the "love of her life."

On Tuesday, Baker was in court asking Tippecanoe Superior 1 Judge Randy Williams to be released from the Tippecanoe County Jail until her May 21 trial on three news charges she stalked the coach and four charges she violated the no-contact order in the fall of 2023.

Prosecutors argued during the hearing that Baker's stalking is not abated.

While jailed in Tippecanoe County, Baker mailed Gearlds' attorney, Jim Olds, relaying questions to the coach and asking for a response from Gearlds.

Asked if Gearlds had any comments about Baker's request to be released or Baker's pending charges, Olds said the coach has no comment.

Williams has not made a decision yet on Baker's motion to be released pending her trial.

Baker's efforts to see and speak with Gearlds led her to file a small claims case on April 10 in Tippecanoe Superior 4, alleging Gearlds defamed and slandered Baker.

Superior 4 Judge Matt Sandy published an order the same day Baker filed her case, citing the past stalking cases and current stalking cases.

"The Court refuses to allow the civil docket to be used to continue a pattern of harassment," Sandy wrote, postponing any hearing on Baker's small-claims case until Nov. 15.

If Baker is convicted of the Level 4 felony stalking charge, she faces a possible prison sentence between two and 12 years.

Evidence in Baker's trial begins at 8:30 a.m. May 21 in Tippecanoe Superior 1.

Reach Ron Wilkins or at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue Coach Katie Gearlds' stalker requests release from jail