Sounak Sengupta
Investigation Discovery’s ‘Obsession: Dark Desires Exposed’ chronicles the horrific experience of Hannah Arbuckle in Indianapolis, Indiana, when she was stalked and harassed by Robert Braun for almost a year. However, she refused to take the harassment face down and fought back, leading to his eventual arrest and conviction.
Who Is Hannah Arbuckle?
Hannah Arbuckle moved to Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana, in the summer of 2002 after buying a house of her own. She recounted, “I was very, very excited. And I felt so blessed that I was able to get such a cute home in this adorable neighborhood. I could not wait to make my stamp on this home.” The 28-year-old worked in advertising and public relations and had her pet dog, Alice, to keep her company. Hannah was independent, hosted weekend parties in her backyard, and was having a great time.
However, she recounted how she felt a strange tinkling sensation a few months after moving into her new home. She used to find her newly-planted flowers trampled and patio furniture shifted but did not consider them pressing issues. But Hannah was proved wrong when she saw a man staring through her bedroom window, holding a camera. She said, “He ran to my bedroom window … slammed a video camera against it.” Trembling with fear, she called 911, but the stalker vanished before the authorities arrived.
She recounted how the officers believed her but did not think the case was severe enough to pursue. According to the show, the stranger kept returning periodically and disappearing before law enforcement officials arrived every time. Hannah confided in colleagues and friends, who laughed it off, and she started feeling silly. She tried various safety measures, including installing a new security system and planting thorns outside her bedroom windows, but the stalker kept returning.
Hannah Arbuckle is Advocating For Women Rights Today
The harassment continued for nearly a year before Hannah came face to face with her stalker in October 2003 in her driveway. The man smirked at her and started walking away, but Hannah was not ready to let him go this time and started following him. She recounted, “He yelled at me to stop chasing him, and I said, I know what you’ve been doing. You’re looking into my windows. And then he threw a tricycle at me.”
However, Hannah jumped onto the back of his pickup truck as he tried to flee the scene. She said, “I’m in the back of the truck on the phone with 911, giving them milestones and markers that I recognized as we went down the street.” According to the show, the stalker stopped the truck and proceeded to attack her. Hannah recounted, “I realized I was in a situation where I was out of control.”
However, law enforcement officials arrived at the scene and nabbed him before he could cause her any harm. The assailant was identified to be 57-year-old Robert J. Braun, a convicted rapist and robber, who had served prior jail time in 1982. The police raided his home to find dozens of pictures and videos of women he had stalked and he was sentenced to prison on charges of stalking and felony voyeurism. However, Hannah does not recognize her desperate act of catching Robert as bravery and asks others not to follow suit.
She said, “Everything happens for a reason. And I’m safe, I’m here today, and he’s caught.” Since then, Hannah has decided not to suffer in silence anymore and speaks out against the harassment she faced. She states she is not seeking attention but wants other women to stay wary and be aware of their surroundings after hearing about her horrifying experience.
She has also helped toughen voyeurism laws, and she advocates women’s rights. Hannah, now in her late 40s, continues to reside in Indianapolis. She adds, “I never thought this would happen to somebody like me, and that was part of the reason why I never spoke up about it that much, because these things don’t happen to just everyday people … just regular Joe’s like myself.”
Read More: Where is Stalker Robert Joseph Braun Now?
