Samantha Stites once rejected a classmate’s advances, and in the years that followed, that rejection curdled into something far more dangerous. A six-year protective order kept the harassment at bay—until it expired, and the obsession resumed. Eventually, she found herself lured underground, trapped in a hidden bunker with no way out, uncertain whether the next thirteen hours would be her last. With her freedom entirely in her captor’s hands, she began searching for the one fear that might convince him to let her goThat search became the center of a quiet, calculated fight for survival, one that drew on her training as a social worker to keep her captor talking rather than give in to panic. In the end, it was his own deepest fear that gave her the leverage she needed to begin negotiating her way out.
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A Stalking History That Escalated
Stites met Christopher Thomas in 2011, during her freshman year of college. After she turned down his advances, his behavior escalated into harassment severe enough that she obtained a six-year personal protection order against him.
When that order expired, the harassment resumed. Thomas eventually lured Stites into an underground bunker he had built, where he held her captive for 13 hours. Stites said he told her the Netflix thriller You had inspired its construction.
13 Hours in the Bunker
Drawing on her social-work training, Stites focused on keeping Thomas talking rather than panicking. Through that conversation, she identified what he feared most: prison.
To secure her release, she promised not to report him and feigned interest in pursuing a relationship with him. As part of his coercive demand, she complied with his insistence on sex in order to be let go.
Once released and home, Stites went to a hospital so evidence could be collected. She then worked with police to help them locate the bunker where she had been held.
Arrest, Guilty Plea, and Sentencing
Thomas was arrested within 48 hours of her release. He later pleaded guilty to kidnapping, torture, and aggravated stalking.
He was sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison for the crimes. Stites has since shared her story publicly in a Hulu documentary, aiming to raise awareness about stalking and the paths survivors take to safety.