At the U.S./Mexico border near Tijuana, lines have been long for both foot and car traffic with wait times approaching well over an hour. For several months, security has been stepped up to help curtail the Mexican drug cartel problems. On both sides of the border, officials have been on high alert for Austrian fugitive Heidemarie Schnitzer, David Caruso's mentally unbalanced stalker who has threatened the lives of Caruso, his daughter Greta Caruso and Liza Marquez. For over six months, Schnitzer has been at large hiding out in Mexico evading a European Arrest Warrant.
For the last several weeks, Schnitzer's Internet attacks on David Caruso have increased twofold. As the harsh realities of life as a fugitive have set in, Schnitzer's unabashed hatred of the CSI Miami star has taken on a whole new intensity. Life on the lam combined with worries about being captured have severely restricted Schnitzer's movements. Her well-laid plans to breach the U.S./Mexico border and pursue David Caruso may have been postponed.
E-mails to this blogger have strongly suggested that Schnitzer's actual location is probably closer to the Rosarito area. According to these sources, Schnitzer would stand out like a sore thumb in Tijuana. Rosarito on the other hand is known for harboring fugitives from the world over who come to the area to lead very low-key lives and remain on their very best behavior while doing so. Rosarito police have confirmed this as well.
Heidemarie Schnitzer remains a fugitive hiding out in Mexico near Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito. Schnitzer is armed and considered to be extremely dangerous. Please do not attempt to apprehend this woman. Contact the U.S. Border Patrol at 1-800-232-5378 , the FBI at (310) 477-6565 or Austria's Bundeskriminalamt at +43-(0)1-531 26-0.
CBS' concerns for David Caruso's safety continue to be top priority for security officials at the Manhattan Beach studios where CSI Miami is filmed. It has been over six months since Schnitzer fled Austria to avoid prosecution on stalking and sending death threats. In recent weeks as well, sources requesting anonymity have reported that fears are mounting for the safety of David Caruso's two tots. With Schnitzer hiding out just south of the U.S. border in Tijuana, Mexico, it's only a matter of time before she breaches border security and travels to Los Angeles to carry out her death threats.
Back in the 90's, another CBS star became the unfortunate victim of a celebrity stalker. While David Letterman's stalker Margaret Mary Ray suffered from schizophrenia, Ray's stalking exploits amounted to nothing more than harassment.
Ten years later, CBS again finds another one of their own hounded by a stalker. For the last two years, CSI Miami's David Caruso has been physically and mentally stalked by a deranged Austrian woman, Heidi Schnitzer. Dr. Karin Treichl, the court-appointed Austrian psychiatrist, has diagnosed Schnitzer as suffering from profound personality disorder capable of becoming dangerous.
The differences between Margaret Ray and Heidi Schnitzer are alarming. Letterman's stalker convinced herself she was romantically involved with the star and repeatedly broke into his home, stole his car and even camped out on his tennis court at one point. Heidi Schnitzer, on the other hand, has authored a death threat letter and mailed it to David Caruso. In it Schnitzer threatened to murder Caruso and Liza Marquez stating that she (Schnitzer) would start off by first killing Caruso's grown daughter, Greta Caruso.
Two years ago, Schnitzer went off the deep end after never receiving a requested autograph from David Caruso. Schnitzer wasted no time devolving into a hate-obsessed celebrity stalker and mailing a death threat to Caruso in care of CBS Studios. Schnitzer also employed the Internet not only as an offensive weapon to defame and slander Caruso, but to thumb her nose at authorities who have not been able to capture her.
When compared to Letterman's stalker, Heidi Schnitzer is Margaret Mary Ray on steroids. Schnitzer antics, including her boasting on websites about crossing into the U.S. to carry out her death threats against David Caruso, make Ray's pranks look like the stuff of an infatuated school girl.
Heidi Schnitzer remains a fugitive hiding out in Mexico near Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito. Schnitzer is armed and considered to be extremely dangerous. Please do not attempt to apprehend this woman. Contact the U.S. Border Patrol at 1-800-232-5378 , the FBI or Austria's Bundeskriminalamt at +43-(0)1-531 26-0.
Since 2007, Dr. Maria Berger above left, has served as Austria's Minister of Justice. A staunch advocate of Austria's anti-stalking laws, Dr. Berger recently introduced legislation that, if enacted, would increase penalties for stalking and improve protections for minors. The "Violence Protection Act" would provide wider support for victims of crime. Under proposal is extending the ban on contact with the victim from the residential area to any place where an encounter with the victim might occur. Protective orders would also be expanded from the current three month injunction to six months.
Victims of stalking would benefit from new provisions making multiple acts of stalking punishable as opposed to the current law that only punishes the perpetrator for a last act of stalking. If applicable, under the new law Heidemarie Schnitzer could conceivably be charged with continued stalking of David Caruso, something she's guilty of on a daily basis. Austria's constitution may contain ex post facto prohibitions however. Other provisions under consideration would provide financial assistance to stalking victims. Frau Schnitzer could find herself in need of a second job if found guilty and ordered to pay David Caruso for pain and suffering.
We applaud Dr. Berger's efforts to improve protective measures for stalking victims. We have also e-mailed Dr. Berger raising concerns that Heidemarie Schnitzer, David Caruso's fugitive Austrian stalker remains at large hiding out in Mexico after fleeing two court hearings. If anyone else wishes to contact Dr. Berger about Heidemarie Schnitzer, her e-mail is as follows:
kzl.b@bmj.gv.at
Heidemarie Schnitzer remains a fugitive hiding out in Mexico near Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito. Schnitzer is armed and considered to be extremely dangerous. Please do not attempt to apprehend this woman. Contact the U.S. Border Patrol at 1-800-232-5378 , the FBI at (310) 477-6565 or Austria's Bundeskriminalamt at +43-(0)1-531 26-0.
