Here is the brave way in which Samantha Stites was able to save herself from her stalker after being imprisoned in a soundproof bunker.
When 33-year-old Stites bumped into 'awkward' student Christopher Thomas while at a university student group in Michigan, she had no idea that the next 13 years of her life would be plagued by stalking.
Thomas would become obsessed with Stites and bombarded her with numerous romantic advances, which she declined.
Stites would secure a six-year personal protection order (PPO) in 2014, but as soon as the order expired, Thomas was back.
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Thomas's obsessive behaviour would culminate in him abducting Stites from her home and locking her in a soundproof bunker, kitted out with supplies to hold her hostage there for two weeks, back in 2022.
According to Stites, he'd been inspired to build the bunker after watching You on Netflix. Stites would remain a prisoner in the makeshift torture chamber for the following 13 hours.
It wasn't clear what Thomas was ultimately planning to do; however, Stites knew that she had to remain calm to survive.
After learning that he was afraid of going to prison, she then utilised what she'd learnt from her job as a social worker and convinced Thomas that she wouldn't report him to the police if he let her go.
She then feigned interest in a romantic relationship with Thomas, to which he responded by saying he'd only free her if she had sex with him.
With no other option, Stites agreed.
"I said, 'You promise me Christopher, that if I sleep with you, you will let me out tonight," she recalled in an interview with Good Morning America, while promoting her Hulu documentary. "He looked me in the eyes and shook my hand."
After raping her, Thomas returned the social worker to her home.
Once free, Stites made her way to the nearest hospital to report the sexual assault and allow staff to collect evidence. She then filed a report with law enforcement and helped locate the bunker.
Stites has since credited her profession with saving her life, telling PEOPLE: "As social workers, we take courses on crisis intervention.
"I think definitely my training and education helped contribute to quick thinking and knowing what I should do."
48 hours later, Thomas was arrested for his crimes. He would later plead guilty to kidnapping, torture and aggravated stalking, receiving 40 to 60 years in prison.
Charges for his sexual assault against Stites were ultimately dropped in exchange for a guilty plea.
Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror is available to stream on Disney+
Topics: TV, Documentaries, Disney Plus, Crime, True Crime
Brenna Cooper