ABC's 20/20 series 'Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror' has shed light on the harrowing case of Samantha Stites, who was stalked for over a decade by Christopher Thomas. The three-part documentary series explores Samantha's traumatic experiences, including her time in a confined space.
Samantha first met Thomas in 2011 at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, where he bombarded her with messages and requests for dates. Despite obtaining a Personal Protection Order (PPO), Thomas continued to stalk her, and she was eventually abducted from her home in 2022.
Samantha was held captive in a custom-built torture chamber in Thomas' remote storage unit for about 13 hours before being released in exchange for sex. Thomas was later arrested and stood trial in 2024 for kidnapping, torture, and aggravated stalking.
Samantha, a social work major from Grand Valley State University, has since pursued her master's in Clinical Social Work from the University of Kansas. She has worked in various roles, including as a server, office assistant, and youth counselor.
Since 2020, Samantha has been working as a social worker at the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan and has also set up the Beekeepers Advocacy, focused on protecting victims of abduction, domestic violence, and stalking. She is an advocate for policy change and improving social workers' education.
Samantha resides in Traverse City, Michigan, and enjoys sports, backpacking, and hiking with her dog, Murphy, and cat, Mara.
