5 key details about Alisa Mathewson's case ahead of 48 Hours

CBS’s 48 Hours revisits the Alisa Mathewson case, a 2017 kidnapping and assault that led to a rare courtroom scene and a lengthy prison term for Trevor Summers. The program walks through the entry into her Valrico home, the 55-hour span that followed, and the evidence used at trial.

A re-air is listed on Investigation Discovery for Saturday, September 20, at 7:00 am ET. The episode title is Alisa Mathewson’s Night Terrors, Season 36, Episode 24, which first ran on April 22, 2023.

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48 Hours: Alisa Mathewson’s Night Terrors case background

In March 2017, prosecutors said Trevor Summers entered Mathewson’s home while their divorce was pending and a restraining order was active. Over the next 55 hours, she was bound, assaulted, moved by car, and seen struggling to flee at a Walgreens parking lot before deputies located the SUV.

Prosecutors said the entry happened through a window at Mathewson’s home. (Image via Unsplash)

At trial in 2022, jurors viewed statements recorded on Mathewson’s phone, heard about handwritten notes, and watched the defendant represent himself after dismissing counsel. The jury returned guilty verdicts on 11 counts, including attempted first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery. A judge later imposed three life sentences plus 224 additional years.

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5 key details about the case ahead of 48 Hours:

1) How the entry to the house was arranged

Investigators said Summers asked a teenage daughter to leave a window open so he could get inside while the house was quiet. That plan, and the restraint that followed, formed the start of the timeline shown in the 48 Hours broadcast. According to CBS News (April 2023), the window access and early-morning entry set the stage for what came next.

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2) A parking lot sighting that triggered a statewide search

A Walgreens employee reported seeing Mathewson bound and trying to run, then relayed a license plate number. Deputies tied the plate to her vehicle and began a search across multiple counties. Per FOX 13 Tampa Bay (August 24, 2022), that call was a key break that narrowed the search to the SUV Summers was driving.

A Walgreens employee reported seeing Mathewson trying to flee (Image via Unsplash)

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3) Recorded and written statements introduced at trial

During the ordeal, Summers used Mathewson’s phone to record a clip in which he said he had been holding her against her will. Investigators also recovered a handwritten note to the children. According to CBS News (April 2023), jurors saw these materials alongside other physical exhibits.

The court admitted Mathewson's handwritten note as evidence. (Image via @48Hours YouTube)

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4) A rare courtroom twist

Mid-trial, Summers dismissed his attorney and cross-examined Mathewson himself. The questioning focused on whether any sexual encounter was consensual, which the state disputed based on the overall restraint and threats described in testimony.

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5) Verdict and sentence

Jurors found Summers guilty on 11 counts. At sentencing, the court imposed three life sentences plus 224 years, keeping him in state prison for life. The Tampa Bay Times reported the sentence length and timing after the verdict phase concluded (November 19, 2022).

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Where to watch 48 Hours: Alisa Mathewson’s Night Terrors

The 48 Hours episode featuring this case is set to re-air on Investigation Discovery on Saturday, September 20, at 7:00 am ET. Local listings may vary by provider.

The full “Alisa Mathewson’s Night Terrors” episode is also available on the official 48 Hours YouTube channel.

48 Hours episodes are available on Paramount+, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Prime Video with ads, the Paramount+ channel on Amazon, fuboTV, and for purchase on Apple TV.

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