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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Gainesville man charged with stalking, voyeurism after being caught on student Ring footage

The man was arrested in 2008 for similar offenses

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Generic Crime 1.PNG

Bailey Pittman’s Ring camera captured a slender, middle-aged white man walking past Pittman’s apartment door toward the back window around 8:30 p.m. Minutes later, Henry walked past Pittman’s front door again.

When she saw the video Sept. 25, the 23-year-old froze, and felt unsafe in her apartment in The Polos. Then, she emailed the police.

“I did think I lived in the better part of the apartment complexes, and I pay more for that opportunity,” Pittman said. “It still happened, and I wasn’t happy about it.”

Matthew Henry, 56, was charged with stalking and three charges of voyeurism in the first degree after allegedly looking through a 19-year-old UF student’s window at Windsor Park, according to an affidavit filed Tuesday. 

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Photo of Henry Matthew

As of Sunday evening, no arrest has been made. But these incidents are not Henry’s first.

In 2008, Henry took photos of women through their windows to use for his own sexual gratification, according to court records. He was arrested but not placed on probation for his 2008 misdemeanors. 

Henry told police in 2008 he chose The Polos because it had the “prettiest girls,” the affidavit report read.

The Polos sent out an email to all residents Sept. 30 following the peeping Tom incidents. 

“We wanted to take the time to remind everyone the staff is here for YOU always!” the email read. 

The current affidavit victim’s Ring camera captured three separate instances of Henry creeping around her bedroom window. 

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Henry was shown walking to the back of the student’s apartment Sept. 22 at around 9 p.m. The backdoor Ring camera the student has covers her bedroom window. Henry bent down next to her window and appeared to look into the window. 

On Sept. 23 at about 9 p.m. Henry was again shown looking through the victim’s bedroom window, according to the affidavit report. 

A day later, on Sept. 24 at around 8:30 p.m., the victim was at a neighbor’s apartment when she received a Ring notification. The footage showed Henry walking up to her bedroom window once more. Two witnesses tried to approach Henry, but he quickly walked off. 

The Gainesville Police Department was unable to comment as to why no arrest was made as of Sunday.

Contact Faith Buckley at fbuckley@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @_faithbuckley

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Faith Buckley

Faith is a third-year journalism student specializing in sports media. She hopes to one day work as a play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League. 


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