The findings suggest that Werthan's (1937) concept of catathymia distinguishes this celebrity stalker who attempted to kill the object of his obsession from most celebrity stalkers, who do not attempt to kill the celebrity. Revitch and Schlesinger (1981, 1989) and Schlesinger (2004) differentiated an acute and a chronic form of the catathymic process. In the acute case, a sudden loss of control results in violence when an underlying conflict (usually involving sexual inadequacy) is triggered by an external circumstance of symbolic significance; for stalking, however, the chronic form of the process is more relevant. In chronic catathymic homicide, three stages occur: incubation, violent act, and subsequent feeling of relief. During an incubation period, which may last from several days to more than a year, the fan (almost always a male) becomes obsessively preoccupied with the celebrity. He then develops the idea that he must commit a violent act against the celebrity, attributing evil and controlling characteristics to the celebrity that require ending the attachment by eliminating the celebrity as the source of the threat. Although initially resisted, this thought becomes a progressively embedded fixation, and the urge to act intensified as a means of relief. This study cites particular passages in the fan's diary that confirm this analysis. Alerting the general public and mental health professionals to the warning signs of chronic catathymia documented in this study, leading to direct intervention, is an important preventive step. This article provides detailed background information on this case, including the history and personal characteristics of the fan, his homicidal plan, and his diary entries. 25 references