A retired St. Augustine engineer was arrested last week after allegedly sending years of anonymous, politically motivated hate mail and stalking his neighbors, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say Paul Kiefner, 72, targeted six residents with threats and harassing messages that were anti-Christian, anti-conservative, and included graphic imagery of President Donald Trump with a gun in his mouth.
Kiefner now faces two counts of written threats to kill and six counts of aggravated stalking.
The harassment allegedly spanned at least five years, causing victims “emotional distress” and fear for their safety.
According to an SJSO report, the defendant sent threatening letters, notes, and messages that included graphic depictions of political violence, ideological extremism, and hostility toward Christians and conservatives.
Many of the messages were written on pieces of wood and thrown onto victims’ properties, papers state.
Two of the letters included explicit threats of lethal violence, referencing a “railroad spike in your head,” according to the arrest report.
The harassment also contained personal identifying information, including victims’ residences and personal histories, and Kiefner frequently returned to watch their reactions after leaving the materials, deputies said.
Other messages included full-length manifestos and politically targeted imagery, including the depiction of former President Donald Trump in violent contexts, authorities said.
While the victims knew the defendant personally from the neighborhood, his involvement was not confirmed until he was seen placing threatening items into mailboxes, according to the report.
Handwriting analysis and text messages matched the defendant, and victims recorded his vehicle’s license plate.
The report also states the defendant would sometimes drive around victims’ homes.
Authorities said Kiefner had previously received verbal and written warnings from law enforcement to stop the harassment, but his conduct escalated.
After being taken into custody, Kiefner admitted to sending the threatening messages , deputies said.
According to the police report, he also admitted to similar conduct connected to other ongoing investigations.
He was booked into the St. Johns County Jail, and the case is ongoing.
His attorney declined to comment on the case.
