5 chilling details about Samantha Stites's twisted case of abduction

Samantha Stites was a college student at Grand Valley State University in Michigan when she first crossed paths with Christopher Thomas in 2011. After meeting him as an awkward acquaintance, she became obsessed with him for over a decade.

Thomas continued to send Samantha messages, flowers, and social invitations for years, despite her repeated rejections. She felt trapped and terrified in her daily life as his fixation increased. His brazenness and stalking continued despite legal action, including a personal protection order.

In October 2022, Thomas's terrifying obsession culminated in an abduction. He broke into Samantha's home, kidnapping her and confining her in a custom-built, soundproof bunker where he held her captive for hours.

On August 19, 2025, the docuseries Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror will air Samantha's terrifying story. This documentary follows her 13-year ordeal and her escape from Thomas, revealing a stalker's mind and his victim's strength. Disney+ and Hulu stream it.

The details surrounding Samantha's abduction are not just about her time in captivity. However, the terrifying buildup of Thomas’s obsession over the years. This article digs into five bone-chilling aspects of her case, exploring how his obsession turned into a violent and life-threatening situation.

Some chilling facts about Samantha Stites's twisted case of abduction

1) Christopher Thomas and a decade of stalking

A still from Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror (Image via YouTube/@ABCNews)

Christopher Thomas’ obsession with Samantha began when they first met in college in 2011. Despite her repeated rejections, he refused to take no for an answer. Thomas began showing up at her workplace, gym, and even parking lots and supermarkets as his obsession grew.

He wrote her long, emotional messages calling her "Jellybean" and saying God was watching over their relationship. Thomas followed her despite her efforts to ignore him. He gradually became more involved in her life.

According to ABC News Studios' latest docu-series, Samantha expressed,

"Told him to leave me alone. He's not necessarily trying to talk to me, but I'm starting to see him lots of places."

2) The Netflix show You inspired Christopher

An unusual factor further compounded the terrifying nature of Samantha's case—Christopher Thomas was inspired by the hit show You. The Netflix series, which revolves around an obsessive stalker, served as a dark blueprint for Thomas’s behavior.

In the same way that Joe Goldberg from You tortures women in a glass box, Thomas locked up Samantha Stites in a custom-built bunker that doesn't let noise in. His crazy love for the show seemed to support his crazy idea that he and Samantha could have a relationship, just like the characters on the show.

Also Read: Where to watch Samantha Stites' story of abduction ahead Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror? Streaming details, explored

3) Samantha Stites’ cold-blooded abduction

On October 7, 2022, Samantha woke up in the middle of the night to find Christopher Thomas in her bedroom. He had already broken in, gagged her, and bound her before forcing her into the back of her car. What followed was a horrifying drive to a nearby storage facility, where Thomas had constructed a soundproof bunker.

Samantha was chained to the wall of the bunker, isolated from the outside world. The room had been designed to prevent any escape or chance of being heard. She described,

"I'm in this torture chamber. I see these soundproof patches on the wall, so no one's going to hear me scream."

Also Read: Why did Christopher Thomas stalk Samantha Stites? Here's everything we know ahead of Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror

4) Samantha Stites’ deal with Christopher for survival

Samantha was put in an unimaginable situation when she tried to escape, but she failed. Thomas made it clear that he was going to hurt her while she was in his care, which was in line with the dark fantasies he had been growing over the years.

Samantha had no other way to get away, so she made a terrible deal: she would do what he asked and have s*x in exchange for her freedom. Thomas kept his word and let her out of the bunker and dropped her off at her house after she agreed to his crazy terms. This terrible deal was necessary for her to get away, but it hurt her deeply.

5) Samantha Stites’ action for justice

Samantha Stites’ action for Justice (Image via Unsplash)

Samantha Stites moved quickly after she was freed, even though she had been through a lot of trauma. She called her neighbors as soon as she got home and then went straight to the hospital for a r*pe test. She also provided the police with crucial information that helped them locate Christopher Thomas.

She said,

"I'm not a Superwoman. I'm not- don't have CIA training, you know. I don't know that I could have survived something like that, had this been a stranger who did this to me."

Thomas was caught 36 hours after she told the police about him. He was quickly found guilty of kidnapping, torturing, and stalking with a dangerous intent. At the end of the case, he got 40 to 60 years in prison, but Samantha Stites would remember it for a lot longer.

Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror will be available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

About the author

Rajan is an Entertainment Writer at Sportskeeda with previous experience of 6 years in writing about the genre. While he has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Application, it was his passion for the domain that led him to pursue a career in the field. He firmly believes that research is key when reporting on any topic, and glances through a wide array of articles to produce informative and accurate content.

Rajan admires Robert Downey Jr., Bob Dylan, and John Mayer since he feels they are the best at their trade. He is passionate about music and has had the opportunity to interact with popular Bollywood music directors A. R. Rahman, Pritam and Vishal-Sekhar.

If he could go back in time, he would jump at the opportunity to be part of Coldplay's hit track, 'A Sky Full of Stars.'

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Edited by Bharath S