Eva LaRue, known for her role onCSI: Miami, is confronting a harrowing chapter of her life with the release of a new docuseries. For twelve years, she lived under the shadow of a relentless stalker, an experience she now describes as a form of “psychological terrorism.”
The ordeal fundamentally altered her perception of safety, creating a constant state of fear. LaRue explains that being stalked isn’t just about physical danger; it’s about a profound rewiring of the mind, a loss of innocence that can never be fully recovered. She and her daughter, Kaya Callahan, are sharing their story to illuminate what they see as a widespread, often-overlooked epidemic.
The nightmare began in 2007 with a chilling letter delivered through her representatives. The threats were graphic, detailing horrific acts of violence, and were disturbingly signed with the name “Freddie Krueger,” invoking the iconic horror film villain. The stalker didn’t stop there, escalating the threats to include LaRue’s young daughter.
At the time, LaRue was navigating life as a single mother in Los Angeles, years after her divorce from John Callahan, her co-star onAll My Children. The letters quickly grew more violent and detailed, culminating in one delivered to her home with the ominous message: “I’ve finally found you.”
Tracing the stalker proved incredibly difficult. He meticulously mailed letters from various post offices, deliberately obscuring his location. Forensic technology at the time was also less advanced, and even recovered DNA often didn’t yield a match in existing databases. This stalker, LaRue discovered, had managed to remain completely off the radar.
A brief period of security followed her marriage to businessman Joe Cappuccio in 2010, but the stalker resurfaced, extending the threats to Cappuccio’s workplace. Sadly, that marriage ended in 2014, and the terror continued.
The turning point came in 2019 when the stalker directly contacted Callahan’s school, falsely claiming to be her father. This repeated contact – eighteen calls in total – provided the crucial link needed for law enforcement to intervene. The interstate nature of the threats finally brought the FBI into the investigation.
Investigators meticulously examined the envelopes, hoping for forensic evidence. When usable DNA was recovered, they turned to a relatively new technique: genetic genealogy. This involved searching genetic databases to identify potential relatives of the stalker, ultimately leading them to a small town in Ohio.
James David Rogers, 58, was arrested after his DNA was found on a discarded Arby’s straw. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including mailing threatening communications and stalking. He was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and released in 2024.
Despite the conviction, LaRue expressed profound disappointment with the sentence. While Rogers received just over three years, she feels she and her daughter have been given a “lifetime sentence of fear.” The trauma of those twelve years continues to resonate.
LaRue is now channeling her experience into creative endeavors, developing a scripted drama that will explore the groundbreaking forensic genealogy technology used to solve her case. She hopes to highlight the innovative work of the FBI and offer a deeper understanding of the tools available to combat stalking.
