A man who previously led Billie Eilish to seek a restraining order after repeatedly showing up outside her Los Angeles home has died after being struck by a Long Island Rail Road train.
According to Vice, Prenell Rousseau, 30, was hit by an eastbound LIRR train in Westbury, New York, at around 5:38 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25. The Farmingville resident was reportedly jogging near the tracks when the incident happened. Law enforcement sources told local media that authorities believe the collision was accidental.
The incident quickly brought renewed attention to Prenell Rousseau’s past connection to Billie Eilish, whose family dealt with him outside their Los Angeles home for days back in May 2020. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rousseau allegedly showed up at the property seven times within just two days.
Surveillance footage and court documents revealed that he repeatedly rang the doorbell, lingered outside the gate, and refused to leave—even after Eilish’s father told him through an intercom that he had the wrong address.
When Rousseau returned again later that night, the family contacted private security. According to Eilish’s restraining-order filing, he stayed on the porch while they waited for help to arrive.
“While we waited for security, Mr. Rousseau remained on our porch, sat down and began to read a book while also continuing to engage in a periodic monologue,” Eilish stated in court documents. “My father repeatedly asked him to leave, but he refused.”
Eilish also told the court that Rousseau’s actions were especially concerning at the time, as he repeatedly touched the home’s gate, doorknob, and doorbell without wearing gloves or a face covering during the pandemic. She described his behavior as “erratic,” and he was eventually arrested on trespassing charges. A judge later granted her a three-year restraining order.
Three years later, Eilish sought another restraining order—this time against 53-year-old Shawn Christopher McIntyre. McIntyre allegedly sent hundreds of messages to the singer and her family, declaring his love while also making violent threats toward her brother, Finneas. Eilish said he ultimately tracked down her address and began showing up outside her home in a pattern similar to Rousseau’s earlier behavior.
The Long Island Rail Road, one of the busiest commuter systems in the United States, has a long history of high-profile incidents. From the 1993 mass shooting near New Hyde Park to multiple fatal track accidents in recent years, the railway has frequently made headlines. In 2021 alone, the LIRR recorded eight deaths across its system.
Roughly 100 passengers were on board the train that struck Rousseau. They were later moved to another train and continued their journey once authorities cleared the scene.
