EMPORIA, Kan. — Residents in an Emporia, Kansas, neighborhood say that they are in shock after a well-known neighbor was arrested and charged with multiple counts of stalking.
Thomas Hebb, 60, is accused of stalking 21 women in the Lyon County area, along with mailing letters of a pornographic nature to a number of women between late 2011 and December of 2012. He has been charged with nine counts of stalking and 47 counts of promoting obscenities.
Police say that they used video surveillance from Walmart and handwriting samples to support a search warrant that led to Hebb’s arrest.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said neighbor Kayley Peterson. “I was like, ‘No way!’ and I called my dad and he’s super-shocked too.”
Next-door neighbor Deena Cardenas says that she saw police take a handcuffed Hebb into custody and seize materials from his trailer.
“The carried out three, I think, dresser drawers of Playboy magazine, because I seen the Playboy magazine when I was looking through my window.”
Stunned neighbor Ethan Peterson says that he can’t believe the accusations against Hebb, describing him as a nice, friendly man who lives alone with his cats.
“He’s lived out here all out lives,” said Peterson. “We call him Tom. He’s a family friend.”
Investigators tell FOX 4 that Hebb will face more charges after learning late Friday of even more alleged victims. Hebb is now in custody in the Lyon County Jail.
