A Frisco woman who went through a 4-year nightmare shares her story for the first time: a championship-level athlete who was becoming well known on social media until a stranger derailed her life and career. 

That stranger just received the longest sentence ever in Texas for the crime of stalking. 

From TCU cheerleader to social media star  

When gifts arrived at the front door of her family’s home on June 1, 2021, Peyton Mabry had no idea what it would be the start of. 

“Hand delivered a gift in the middle of the night and totally changed my world forever,” Mabry said. 

Mabry had just graduated from TCU, where she had continued her lifelong passion for cheerleading. 

“I cheered from the age of 4 to 18 years old,” Mabry said. “I was a gym rat, loved it. Won Nationals three times, won World’s once.”

After college, Mabry found success on social media as a marketing promoter for businesses. 

“Influencing at the time was still very new, and I had been doing it before that,” Mabry said. “I did high-end luxury automobiles, I did international businesses and brands.”

The nightmare begins

That may or may not be how Robert Bevers first noticed Mabry. It’s never been clear. 

But it is clear that once he tried to get Mabry to notice him, it continued for years. 

“It did, unfortunately, and with a vengeance,” said Mabry.

There were more secretly delivered gifts and appearances on the security cameras that Mabry’s family set up around their home. 

“Valentine’s Day, hand-delivered some flowers in the middle of the night. Left them on the bench in my front yard,” she said. “Casing, lurking, driving by the house, no doubt in my mind, hundreds of times.”

When Bevers knocked on the front door, it led to police intervention and a protective order.

“I was terrified,” said Mabry. “I was absolutely terrified. I was doing everything I could to protect myself and my family.”

Bevers appealed the protective order, and, to the shock of Mabry, it was overturned. 

That day, she says he started sending her what would be the first of hundreds of messages. She says they became more vulgar and threatening and extended to Mabry’s family. 

“He’s a vile individual and his messages went from anywhere from our romantic delusion to the most racist, vulgar, sexually motivated content that you could imagine,” she said. 

A complete stranger was causing Mabry’s life to unravel. 

“Terrifying, almost debilitating at times,” Mabry said .”Even walking to my car became a fight or flight internal battle.”

A dark family legacy

CBS News Texas discovered a twist in this story that makes it even more frightening. 

It turns out Mabry’s stalker, Robert Bevers, is the son of Lanny Bevers, a man currently serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for stalking and repeatedly sexually assaulting a woman. 

That victim wrote a book about her experience, which led to tougher stalking laws in Texas. 

Mabry was able to get police involved again when the sadistic threats from Robert Bevers continued.

“He absolutely threatened to hurt me, other people and my family,” said Mabry.  

Last month, Mabry had to testify against her stalker in a Collin County courtroom. 

“I was prepared, I was ready, and I think I had a shield of strength around me, honestly,” Mabry said.

Justice served

Bevers was tried and convicted by a jury, with the judge giving the 40-year-old a 20-year sentence and Mabry a chance to return to a normal life. 

“They did their part. Honestly don’t have the words to express my gratitude to them, so that was moving,” she said.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said, “This maximum sentence is due in no small part to the victim’s bravery and tenacity in seeking justice not just for herself, but for other women as well.”

At only 28, Mabry wants to get her life back on track and use her story to help other stalking victims. 

But she’s aware her stalker will be eligible for parole in only 3 years and worries she will never be able to let her guard down again. 

“It’s changed how I walk through the world; has changed how I think, how I feel about things, and it’s made me very passionate about figuring out how to use it,” said Mabry. “So hopefully make a positive.”