She Survived 13 Years of Stalking — And Outsmarted Her Captor With One Bold Move

What started as an uncomfortable college crush turned into more than a decade of terror for Samantha Stites. Her nightmare finally reached its peak when she was kidnapped and thrown into an underground bunker — but one quick-thinking decision saved her life.

From Harmless Crush to Obsession

Back in 2011, when Stites was just beginning her freshman year, she met fellow student Christopher Thomas. At first, she described him as “awkward and harmless.” But very quickly, his attention turned dark.

Even after she made it clear she wasn’t interested, Thomas bombarded her with unwanted messages, uninvited appearances, and a suffocating fixation that only grew stronger with time.

By 2014, the harassment became so intense that Stites secured a six-year personal protection order (PPO) to keep him away. Yet the moment it expired, the stalking resumed.

A Chilling Escalation

In 2022, Thomas’s obsession crossed into its most dangerous stage. He abducted Stites from her home and forced her into a soundproof bunker he had secretly built. Investigators later revealed it was stocked with supplies to keep her trapped for weeks.

Shockingly, Thomas admitted he had taken inspiration from the Netflix thriller You when designing the hideout. For 13 agonizing hours, Stites was his prisoner, unsure if she would ever make it out alive.

Outsmarting Her Captor

Despite her terror, Stites drew on her training as a social worker, remembering lessons on crisis intervention. She kept her voice calm, carefully engaging him in conversation until she discovered his deepest fear: prison.

Seizing the opportunity, she promised not to call the police if he released her. To strengthen the illusion, she pretended to be willing to start a relationship with him.

Thomas agreed — but only if she promised to sleep with him. With no other choice, Stites made the deal, shaking his hand to seal it.

Freedom and Justice

After the assault, Thomas released her and drove her back to her home. Once safe, Stites immediately sought medical attention, ensuring doctors gathered evidence of the attack, and then worked closely with police to locate the bunker.

Within two days, authorities arrested Thomas. He later pleaded guilty to kidnapping, torture, and aggravated stalking, receiving a sentence of 40–60 years in prison. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped the sexual assault charge.

Turning Trauma Into Strength

Now 33, Stites credits her education and instincts for saving her life. “As social workers, we take courses on crisis intervention,” she told People. “That training helped me think clearly when it mattered most.”

Her story is being told in a new Hulu documentary, where she hopes her ordeal will raise awareness about the dangers of stalking — and remind others that trusting their instincts can mean the difference between life and death.