1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:02,559 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 2: She is trapped inside a storage container, bound hands and feet, 3 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 2: abused by a Bible group flunky, and she lives to 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 2: tell the tale, and she joins us tonight. I'm Nancy Grace. 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 2: This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for 6 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: being with us. 7 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 3: Samantha was a well liked college student with a steady job, 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 3: close friends, and a future wide open until a chance 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 3: encounter on campus sets off a chilling chain of events. 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 2: Her life just starting friendly, outgoing, polite, and caring. She 11 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: befriended an awkward acquaintance. She'll probably never do that again. 12 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 4: First, I think he's just lonely for some reason, finds 13 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 4: me an approachable person to talk to, and then at 14 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 4: some point. 15 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 5: It changes. 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: That was from stalking Samantha. 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,119 Speaker 2: Thirteen years of Terror streaming now on Hulu and Hulu 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:18,839 Speaker 2: on Disney. Joining me right now, Samantha, Samantha stites, joining us, Samantha, 19 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: thank you for being with us. 20 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 5: Thanks for having me, Samantha. 21 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 2: How difficult is it for you to talk about what 22 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 2: happened and relive it? 23 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 4: I think having significant therapy, you know, the last few years, 24 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 4: it's not as difficult as one might think. For me 25 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 4: to kind of discuss my experience at this point. 26 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: Tell me about you befriending the guy that turned out 27 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: to be your stalker. What led you to befriend him? 28 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 2: I would have done the same thing. 29 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 4: I think the word befriend is maybe a bit strong. 30 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 4: I wouldn't ever say we were actual friends. I think 31 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 4: it was an acquaintance at best, and he was someone 32 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 4: I was, you know, friendly too. He was awkward, you know, 33 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 4: I introduced myself at this sort of group setting at 34 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 4: this Christian organization, and it kind of spiraled from there. 35 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 4: I mean he quickly became obsessed with me and stalked 36 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 4: me for years. 37 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 2: Also, you enter into a Christian Bible group thinking you 38 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: would make like minded people, like we all do when 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 2: we enter into like Sunday School or NYF that is 40 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: Youth Fellowship or you know, Family Night Suppers. Was there 41 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: a red flag at all? 42 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 4: Not initially. I mean, he was an awkward person. I 43 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 4: don't know that that in itself is a red flag. 44 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 4: There was nothing that really indicated to me that he 45 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 4: was potentially dangerous or that I ever could have seen 46 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 4: this coming, even when he began stalking me. 47 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: When you say he was awkward, what do you mean by. 48 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 4: That he had difficulty carrying on conversation in groups. He 49 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 4: would ask some basic questions, but he was just kind 50 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 4: of shy, you know. He wouldn't make a lot of 51 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 4: eye contact. He'd sort of look down. He didn't really 52 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 4: have too many close friends from what I could see. 53 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 2: M And that's just this kind of person that I 54 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: would reach out to in a group to try to 55 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 2: make them more comfortable and engaging. I guess I would 56 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 2: feel a little bit sorry for them, want to help 57 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: them out and include them guys. The next thing, you know, 58 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: Samantha finds a red rose on her car. 59 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: Listen. 60 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 3: One day after the group meeting, Samantha finds a rose 61 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 3: on her car. Christopher Thomas event tells Samantha he left 62 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 3: it for and asks her on a date. Samantha politely declined, 63 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 3: but Thomas continues to pursue her, frequently striking up text 64 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 3: conversations and bringing flowers to her work. Samantha continues to 65 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 3: echo no to date requests, eventually telling Thomas she is 66 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: not romantically interested. 67 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 4: He was following me to my work, following me to 68 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 4: my internship there at Frisbee Practice. 69 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 2: You're seeing clips from stalking Samantha, thirteen years of terror 70 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 2: on Hulu and Hulu Disney Plus. Tell me how it 71 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 2: escalated and all started with a single rose on your 72 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,559 Speaker 2: vehicle when you came out to your car. Yeah. 73 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,679 Speaker 4: I found a rose on my car after my internship 74 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 4: at Grand Valley State, and I thought it was odd. 75 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 4: You know, I didn't know many people who knew where 76 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 4: my internship was. I had just started that. I kind 77 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 4: of went on this quest to figure out who it was. 78 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 4: You know, it was something I thought could be exciting, 79 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 4: maybe somebody I had romantic interest in, potentially, and. 80 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 5: I couldn't figure out who it was for a few days. 81 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 4: You know, I was texting anyone in everyone I could 82 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 4: think of, and I felt silly, and finally I looped 83 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 4: back to Christopher after he initially said no, and he 84 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 4: admitted that it was him, and he admitted that he 85 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 4: had followed you from my house to my internship and 86 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 4: that's how he knew. 87 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 5: Where it was. 88 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 4: And I thought, that's really weird. That's not a normal 89 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 4: thing somebody would do. 90 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: Oh my stars, Samantha. So he tells you, to your face, 91 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: I followed you from your home to your internship. 92 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: What was that on the phone? Or did he tell 93 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: you that to your face? 94 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 5: It was over the phone. We had this conversation. 95 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: What did you say what he told you? He followed you. 96 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 4: I, I don't know that I really said. 97 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: I don't know that. 98 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 5: I had a big reaction at the time. 99 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 4: I you know, inside, I was kind of thinking, Wow, 100 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,919 Speaker 4: that's really strange. I think my kind of what I 101 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 4: ended up saying to him was something like, you know, 102 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 4: I'm not interested in you in that way. I you know, 103 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 4: don't please, don't ask me out, you know. And he 104 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 4: kind of kept trying, and I ended up blocking him 105 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 4: and asking him to leave me alone shortly after that. 106 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 2: How did he respond when you would tell him, look, 107 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: I'm not interested in you in that way. 108 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: It's not romantic, we're just friends. How would he react? 109 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 5: He kind of just would not and say you know sure, 110 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 5: or you know. 111 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 4: Often this was kind of via some sort of messaging, 112 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 4: either texting or Facebook or something like that in that era, 113 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 4: and he sometimes just wouldn't respond and then would act 114 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 4: a few days later like everything was fine and message 115 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 4: me again, you know, something innocent and just kind of hey, 116 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 4: how's your day going sort of thing. 117 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 2: A lot of times I wouldn't even respond, so he 118 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: would mix in the crazy with the normal, like Hey, 119 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 2: how's your day, And it would start off innocently and 120 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 2: then suddenly get weird. 121 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 4: I mean it wasn't like he was asking me out NonStop. 122 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 4: I mean it would often be like, Hey, are you 123 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 4: going to this event on campus? Or I'll be studying here, 124 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 4: I'm having lunch here if you happen to have a 125 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 4: break and want to join, you know, very casual types 126 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 4: of things. And then after I sometimes after i'd kind 127 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 4: of turn him down, he would, you know, kind of 128 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 4: throw out different Bible verses and things that you know 129 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,559 Speaker 4: he was thinking about in terms of faith or even 130 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 4: framing it in terms of a potential relationship with me. 131 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 4: And this was even after I had blocked his number 132 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 4: on my phone and email and tried to get like 133 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 4: other guy friends and stuff involved. 134 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: Wait did he know he had been blocked? 135 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 4: Uh? Yeah, I mean he wasn't couldn't, wasn't able to 136 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 4: text me anymore. 137 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 5: I blocked his phone number, and I. 138 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 4: Think he I think I maybe left that method of 139 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 4: communication open, like on Facebook or something, or maybe I 140 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 4: think it must have been Facebook that was where most 141 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 4: of the messages were. 142 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: I guess he thought persistence would be the key to 143 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 2: winning you over. 144 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: Well. The text messages continued. 145 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 6: Listen when he was not at work or sleeping, he 146 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 6: was tracking her. 147 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 4: He was following me to my work, following me to 148 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 4: my gym, grocery shopping. 149 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: He was everywhere. 150 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 5: Don't talk to me, don't text me, don't show up 151 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 5: where I am. 152 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 4: Lead me alone. This guy's stalking me. 153 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 7: Thomas continues incessant text messages, showing up at work, staying 154 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 7: glued to her at church, and now he seems to 155 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 7: show up wherever sam is, even finding her out with friends. 156 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 4: He was following me. But at that point I was like, 157 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 4: I just want to graduate. I just want to get 158 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 4: through and do the things I'm going to do next. 159 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 4: I felt like it was just something I could deal 160 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 4: with on my. 161 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 2: Own, that I'm stalking Samantha. Thirteen years of terror on Hulu. 162 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 2: Tell me where all Samantha. He would show up unsolicited. 163 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 4: At the beginning in college, it was like, you know, 164 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 4: my internship. It would be you know, just commonplaces around campus. 165 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 4: I'd pass him in the hall headed to class, and 166 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 4: then every week from there I'd pass him. At that 167 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 4: same kind of time period, I began seeing him at 168 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 4: the gym, in the grocery store, at a bar, him 169 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 4: meeting a friend for a drink, anywhere. 170 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 2: So where would he be at the grocery store, in 171 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 2: the parking lot, in one of the aisles, He'd. 172 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 4: Usually be like in the in the actual store, like 173 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 4: in the aisles. I never noticed him like in a vehicle. 174 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 4: Toward that last summer before I was abducted, I was 175 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 4: trying to kind of figure out what sort of vehicle 176 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 4: he drove because I never actually saw him in a car. 177 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 4: He was often on foot or. 178 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 5: You know. 179 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 4: I never actually saw him try to get into a vehicle, 180 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 4: which was something I was to do, so I knew 181 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 4: at least what his car looked like. 182 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: Samantha, think about it. 183 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: How would he realize she's going to the grocery store, 184 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 2: get to the grocery store, and get in the grocery 185 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 2: store before you came in, and be wandering the aisles 186 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: for you to find him in there. 187 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: That took a lot of planning. 188 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, essentially, it seemed like he was everywhere 189 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 4: I was. And initially I thought maybe it was kind 190 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 4: of a coincidence, because it would happen, you know, once 191 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 4: every couple of weeks, and then it was every week, 192 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 4: and then you know, it seemed like it was more 193 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 4: than a coincidence at that point, and my friends and I, 194 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 4: you know, started looking for a tracker on my vehicle 195 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 4: and we couldn't find anything. 196 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: And where would he be at the gym? 197 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 5: He'd usually be like running on a treadmill. 198 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: So he would already be there. 199 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 2: Did you go the same day every week so he 200 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 2: could be there and get on the tread before you 201 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 2: got there? I mean, how would he actually make this happen? 202 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: The mechanics of. 203 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 4: It, I don't know, you know, I don't know how 204 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 4: he spent his time. Really, I'm not sure if he 205 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 4: sounded like he spent several hours at the gym from 206 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 4: what he told me when he abducted me. But I 207 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 4: mean I vary the times I would go slightly. I 208 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 4: mean it was usually after work, so it was sometime 209 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 4: in the evening. I would never go in the morning, 210 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 4: but almost, you know, whatever day of the week i'd go, 211 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 4: I feel like I often saw him. 212 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: Then the stocking extends to her friends. 213 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 8: When Samantha learns Thomas's stalking has extended to her friends, 214 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 8: she seeks a restraining order. Three years after their first meeting, 215 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 8: the court approves her personal protection order and Thomas must 216 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 8: stay away or face arrest. Samantha finishes her degree and 217 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 8: moves to Traverse City. 218 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:01,239 Speaker 9: Six years later, Samantha's PPO is exped hiring and Thomas 219 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 9: was prepared. He transfers to Traverse City, and Thomas is 220 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 9: suddenly at Sam's soccer practices and matches, following her around 221 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 9: grocery stores and working out across the room from her, 222 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 9: no matter how many times she changes gyms. Samantha considers 223 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 9: applying for a PBO again, but learns it would require 224 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 9: a court appearance that Thomas would also attend. In fear 225 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 9: of angering him further, Samantha abandons her plan to renew 226 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 9: the restraining order. 227 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 2: Oh my stars, when you say he started stalking your friends, 228 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 2: what did he do? 229 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 5: He ended up. 230 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,359 Speaker 4: Telling me when he abducted me that he had trackers 231 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 4: on my roommate's car. You know, all of the in 232 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 4: my friend's car. But that purpose was for figuring out 233 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 4: who I was with and what I was doing. He 234 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 4: wasn't actually stalking my friends. 235 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 2: I think if somebody puts a tracker on your roommate's car, 236 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 2: that would. 237 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: Be stalking them. 238 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 2: Maybe the motive was to find you, but I would 239 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 2: not like it if somebody put. 240 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 1: Trackers on my friend's cars. 241 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 2: You decided not to see another protection order for obvious reasons. 242 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: What was your thinking? 243 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 4: I did seek a second protection order once the first 244 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 4: one expired. It was after the first one expired that 245 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 4: I began seeing him in Northern Michigan again. You know, 246 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 4: all those years later. I got the help of one 247 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 4: of my soccer teammates who is an assistant prosecutor, and asked, 248 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 4: you know, for help filing another PPO, And essentially the 249 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 4: court denied ex parte order, which meant I would have 250 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 4: had to appear in court with Christopher for a judge 251 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 4: to make a final determination. 252 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 5: And I chose not. 253 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 4: To pursue that option because I thought, if they don't 254 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 4: rule in my favor, I potentially am you know, letting 255 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 4: this who I think is a dangerous person know that I'm. 256 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 5: On to him. 257 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 2: Wow, Okay, getting no support from the judge there at all. 258 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: Disagree with the juzz. There's a lot of ways to 259 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: do that, ex party. 260 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 2: In other words, you talked to the judge outside the 261 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 2: presence of the defendant. 262 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: What went through your mind? 263 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: You leave, you graduate, you leave, you start fresh somewhere else, 264 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 2: and then after a few years past, there he is again. 265 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: When did you see him for the. 266 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 2: First time after that period of years. 267 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 4: I first saw him at a soccer field. I was 268 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 4: playing in an adult recreation league and I saw him there, 269 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 4: and I was shocked. I never thought he would be 270 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 4: living in that city, or that I would see him again. 271 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 5: And I had found that my ppo had expired like 272 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 5: shortly before that. 273 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: And then a cold Friday morning. 274 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 3: On a cold Friday morning in October, Samantha's roommate has 275 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 3: already left for work, but she's still soaking up a 276 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 3: few more minutes in d than Sam here's the wood 277 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 3: floor's creek and footsteps coming down the hall. Samantha calls 278 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 3: her roommate's name, and, getting no answer, quickly reaches under 279 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 3: her bed for a hatchet. The intruder throws the door 280 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 3: open and is on top of her with his hands 281 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 3: around her neck before she can reach it. Samantha immediately 282 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 3: recognizes her attacker as Stalker Christopher. 283 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 2: Thomas guys joining us tonight, Samantha stides, tell me what 284 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 2: went through your mind when you heard that floor creek? 285 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 4: I knew my house well, Adolph to know that it 286 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 4: wasn't one of my pets, like stepping on the floor. 287 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 4: I knew that a creek would have had to be 288 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 4: likely a person. I assumed, you know, it was my roommate, 289 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 4: something normal, potentially, and when I didn't get a response 290 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 4: or hear any more movement, I thought there must have 291 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 4: been someone on the other side of my bedroom door 292 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 4: who was waiting for me. If it was a burglar 293 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 4: or something, they would have been taking items, they wouldn't 294 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 4: be waiting outside my bedroom door. I you know, was 295 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 4: confused whether maybe I was hearing something in a dream 296 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 4: or you know, I wasn't sure. 297 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 5: Exactly what was going on, let alone. 298 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 4: Suspecting who it was at this point, but I did 299 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 4: strongly believe there was a person on the other side 300 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 4: of that door, and that they wanted to me what happened. 301 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 5: Then I decided not to reach for the hatchet. 302 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,479 Speaker 4: I figured, you know, if this person doesn't have a weapon, 303 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 4: now I'm introducing one, and if they're they're likely more 304 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 4: prepared than I am. Bundled up in my bed having 305 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 4: just woken up, and I decided to reach to turn 306 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 4: on my bedroom lamp and figure out. 307 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 5: What was going on, And at that point he. 308 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 4: Flung open the door and jumped on me in bed, 309 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,719 Speaker 4: and I be am screaming, and he put his hands 310 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 4: around my throat to get me to stop screaming. 311 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: Listen. 312 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 7: Thomas places a ballgag in Sam's mouth, then wraps duct 313 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 7: tape around her mouth, hands, and feet. Thomas blindfolds Sam, 314 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 7: loads her into her own car, and drives to a 315 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 7: storage unit where he has constructed a soundproof cell. Thomas 316 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 7: tells Samantha he was inspired by the Netflix show You. 317 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 7: Thomas shows Samantha how he'd been tracking her on his 318 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 7: phone and tells her he plans to keep her for 319 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 7: two weeks, then dispose of her body. Sam tries to 320 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 7: count the terms to work out where Thomas is taking 321 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 7: her and maintains a calm demeanor with her captor. 322 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 2: It's overwhelming to me the terror you must have felt 323 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 2: when he gagged you. Did you think he was going 324 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 2: to kill you? 325 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 4: I mean, the moment he jumped on me and began 326 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 4: choking me, I thought he was going to kill me, certainly, 327 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 4: you know, all those statistics ran through my head once 328 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 4: he handcuffed me and ball gagged me and just told 329 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 4: me he was planning to take me somewhere I knew. 330 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 4: You know, when people are abducted and move from one 331 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 4: location to another, their likelihood of survival decreases significantly. So, 332 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,399 Speaker 4: you know, I thought, if he's angry with me, you know, 333 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 4: I'm guessing he wants to rape and kill me. 334 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 2: It's amazing to me that he man is to stay 335 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: so calm. You were even trying to figure out where 336 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 2: he had taken you. 337 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, I thought if I had any chance to get 338 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 4: out of the situation that you know, he had blindfolded 339 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 4: me while we were in the car. I figured if 340 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 4: I could get an idea of where I was in 341 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 4: the event I could escape, then I would know maybe 342 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 4: what direction is better to run than another, you know, 343 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 4: things like that. 344 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: When did you realize you were in a storage container? 345 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 4: I didn't really know that until he told me. I 346 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 4: think I could hear that there was like a garage 347 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 4: door sort of opening, and I could see a little 348 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 4: bit under the blindfold that it looked like potentially a 349 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 4: storage unit or a set of garages or something. It 350 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 4: was still dark when he took me there. You know, 351 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 4: I wasn't sure exactly which unit it was, but I 352 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 4: knew that I wasn't far from home. I was maybe 353 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 4: a quarter mile from my house. 354 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: What did he say when he was chaining you to 355 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 1: the wall? Did he apologize? 356 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 4: I wouldn't say he was apologetic. Initially I could tell 357 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 4: he was surprised. I think that he had done this. 358 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 4: He was definitely kind of shaking and you know, thinking 359 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 4: about what to do. He seemed a little unprepared. 360 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:00,719 Speaker 5: You know. 361 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 4: I assumed that maybe he was living there. You know, 362 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 4: I had no idea what this structure was. I couldn't 363 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 4: see as we entered it. I could tell that we 364 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,959 Speaker 4: went through two little low like thresholds as you're kind 365 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 4: of seeing here into this small room. But I had 366 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 4: no idea that he had constructed this whole soundproof bunker 367 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 4: just for me. 368 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Take a listen to Stalking Samantha. 369 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 8: If you change somebody into a wall, you have no boundaries. 370 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: He's going to do something violent. He's a monster. 371 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 4: This becomes a fight for my life. 372 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 5: It's just this ticking time bomb and we're all holding 373 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 5: our breath. My mind is the only thing that's going 374 00:21:58,840 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 5: to get me out of here. 375 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 8: Spite her intense fear, Samantha, a therapist and social worker, 376 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 8: keeps calm and uses psychological tactics to negotiate with Thomas. 377 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 8: Samantha talks to Thomas like a friend and lets Thomas 378 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 8: vent to her. 379 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 1: While she tries to find a way out. 380 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 8: Seeing the rings Thomas attached to the walls, Sam knows 381 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 8: exactly what Thomas wants, but she gets out of him 382 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 8: that he's also terrified of going to jail. Sam tells 383 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 8: Thomas she will never tell anyone about the kidnapping and 384 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 8: even be his friend going forward if he takes her 385 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 8: home safely. After Thomas agrees to Sam Steele. 386 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 2: The strength this woman has. You saw a clip of 387 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 2: talking Samantha thirteen Years of Terror as now on Hulu. 388 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 2: You actually were trying to save your life by reasoning 389 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 2: with him, bargaining with him. 390 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 1: How did you come up with that? Most people would 391 00:22:58,960 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: have just. 392 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 2: Melted into a pile of tears on the floor of 393 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 2: that storage unit, But you kept your wits about you. 394 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: You saved your own life by bargaining with him. What 395 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 2: was going through your mind? 396 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 5: Survival? 397 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 4: I mean, I think anyone is capable of, you know, 398 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,160 Speaker 4: doing what they need to do to get out of 399 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 4: a deadly situation, and it was clear that using my 400 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 4: mind was the only thing that was really going to 401 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 4: get me out of that situation. No one could hear me, 402 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 4: no one could see me. You know, I had no 403 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 4: means of escape. You know, I looked for different tools 404 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 4: or things I might be able to do to potentially 405 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 4: injure him. You know, I couldn't find any easy way 406 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 4: to potentially get out of this situation other than at 407 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 4: his hand. So you know, I took what I knew, 408 00:23:55,720 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 4: which you know was motivational interviewing and speaking with people 409 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 4: to try to get to the crux of what motivated 410 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 4: him and what he wanted. And I tried negotiating any 411 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 4: possible way of you know, getting out of there in 412 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:18,919 Speaker 4: a timely manner. And you knowing, time wasn't on my side. 413 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 4: You know, if people suspected I was missing or went 414 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 4: looking for me, that he'd be the first person they 415 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:25,880 Speaker 4: looked for. 416 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,120 Speaker 5: So I was also fearful. 417 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 4: That as time drew on, you know, we'd both become 418 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 4: more agitated, and that you know, he'd become really nervous knowing. 419 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 5: The police were looking for him. 420 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,239 Speaker 4: So time was also of the essence, and that I 421 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 4: needed to come up with something to convince him that 422 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 4: we could forget about all this and that we could 423 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 4: get out of this situation, you know, quickly. And the 424 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 4: only way he was going to let me out was 425 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 4: by having sex with me. I tried everything I could 426 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:03,399 Speaker 4: do to get out of that situation, and you know, 427 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 4: there was no real way unless I was going to 428 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 4: sit in there for days on end. 429 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 2: Everybody, you are seeing the actual place where this beautiful 430 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 2: young woman was kidnapped and held by a former Bible 431 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 2: group attendee. It's and we showed you where he had 432 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 2: prepared this. As she is telling us, long prepared this 433 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 2: bunker to keep her, including a way to chain her. 434 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: To the wall. It's just it's almost more than I 435 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: can take in. 436 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 2: We run into people every day, Samantha that are awkward, 437 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 2: that are kind of in the fringe of our lives, 438 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 2: are not really a player in our day to day. 439 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: He would leave you in there, chained up and just 440 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: leave right. We've got video of him stride across the 441 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 1: parking lot. 442 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 4: Yeah, at the beginning, especially before he felt like he 443 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 4: could trust me, he did cheem me to the wall 444 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 4: and drive my vehicle to like a local home improvement store, 445 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 4: so that my vehicle wasn't you know, if people went 446 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,399 Speaker 4: looking for me, they wouldn't find my vehicle at home 447 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 4: or you know, at at the location where he had me. 448 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 2: It seems to me, Samant, that he dumped your car 449 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 2: in a Minard's parking lot to make it look like 450 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 2: maybe you had gone to Minards had been abducted from there. 451 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: He obviously put a lot of thought into this. 452 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm not sure. 453 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 4: I mean, that was probably the closest location that had 454 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 4: a decent sized parking lot. 455 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 5: You know, he had plans to, you know, if we 456 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 5: were supposed to be there for two weeks, like. 457 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 4: He had planned, he had planned to leave my car 458 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 4: out by Lake Michigan and have my pas board on 459 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 4: the beach somewhere and make it look like potentially I drown. 460 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 4: So I'm not sure, you know, other than having my 461 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 4: car at some basic parking lot nearby that he could 462 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 4: easily walk from there back to. 463 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 5: The storage unit. 464 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 4: You know, I'm not sure, but that was the location that, 465 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:23,679 Speaker 4: you know, after he had raped me, that when he 466 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 4: followed through with this promise to let me go, he 467 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 4: dropped me back off at my car at this parking. 468 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 2: Lot, locked in the bathroom, Samantha manages to make a call. 469 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 2: Most people would be devastated, but she manages to summon 470 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: up the strength and save herself Listen. 471 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 3: Still locked in her bathroom, Samantha manages to call a friend, 472 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 3: who takes her to a hospital and has police meet 473 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 3: them there. Nurses perform a rape kit and give Sam 474 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,880 Speaker 3: precautionary STI medication. Thomas has arrested just hours later, while 475 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 3: officers search the storage unit and track down Sam's car. 476 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 6: I went right to the storage units. We didn't know 477 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 6: if he was hiding in the bunker. We didn't know 478 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 6: if there were booby traps or anything like that. 479 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: Christopher, if you're inside, let us know. I'm man have 480 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: my dog and find you and he will bite you. 481 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: Call out to us now, if you're inside. 482 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 2: From talking Samantha thirteen years of Terror on Hulu, what 483 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,719 Speaker 2: went through your mind? What were you thinking when you 484 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 2: managed to make that phone call from inside the bathroom? 485 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 4: I mean I had a plan from you know, the 486 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 4: time I was in the bunker. If I were to 487 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 4: get out, I knew he had a tracker on my vehicle. 488 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 4: I couldn't just drive to the hospital. I couldn't go 489 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 4: to the police station for fear of. 490 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 5: Him following me. You know, I went. 491 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 4: I knew I couldn't call my roommate for help or 492 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 4: a close friend because he knew who they all were. 493 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 4: So I called a coworker who was also a neighbor 494 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 4: and a nurse, and I knew I needed to get 495 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 4: to the hospital to try to recover DNA from a 496 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 4: rape kit and hopefully put this person behind bars. 497 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 2: You know what, I have taken so many victims for 498 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 2: a rape kit. It's nothing anybody wants to endure. But 499 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 2: you speaking about that tonight can give other people the strength, Samantha, to. 500 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: Know they're not alone. They're not alone. Other women have. 501 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 2: Been through it as horrible as it is, and they 502 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 2: have survived. And you haven't just survived, you have conquered 503 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 2: so much. And by speaking out, I'm just so grateful 504 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 2: to you. And because of her, we land here. 505 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: Listen. 506 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 8: So we executed a search warrant in his house the 507 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 8: night that that Christopher was rested. 508 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 6: We're able to get a lot of good information from 509 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 6: his house. He didn't get rid of anything, really. We 510 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 6: found the sheets that were on the bed and sword 511 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 6: you in it. At his apartment we'd found the ballgag, 512 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,680 Speaker 6: the duct tape that we believe he used to secure 513 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 6: the ballgag. 514 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 1: In her mouth, And of course he lies over and 515 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: over listened. 516 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 8: This man is not just obsessed with you, and he's dangerous. 517 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 6: I've never seen a stalking case as severe as this, 518 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 6: next level psycho. 519 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 5: This is like a horror film. 520 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:58,959 Speaker 7: Stalking Samantha thirteen years of Terror. In an interrogation, Thomas 521 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 7: lies over and over. Thomas first claims he was hunting 522 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 7: when he kidnapped Sam. When officers tell Thomas they have 523 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 7: footage of him at the storage unit with Sam and 524 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 7: have been inside. Thomas then claims it was a role 525 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 7: play fantasy that he surprised Sam with, but he wasn't 526 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 7: happy about it. Thomas initially pleads not guilty, but his 527 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 7: trial approaches, Thomas takes a deal that drops the home 528 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 7: invasion and criminal sexual conduct charges. 529 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: Crime stories with Nancy Grace. 530 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 10: You're believe that you add in such a way as 531 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 10: to create severe mental pain on her partner. You believe 532 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 10: a reasonable person with supper sejurs and pain based on 533 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 10: of those actions. 534 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 2: Trauma was talking Samantha thirteen years of Tearror on Hulu 535 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 2: role playing. Did you hear him say you just were 536 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 2: surprised and you didn't like it? 537 00:31:58,840 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 5: He sure was right. 538 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 4: I sure was surprised by her, him coming into my 539 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 4: home and kidnapping me, and I did not like it. 540 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 4: But the I mean, that was just kind of a 541 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 4: you know, excuse he had, he had to tell the 542 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 4: police something that wasn't. Yes, I abducted her because I'm 543 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 4: stalking her and have been helplessly in love with her. 544 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 4: You know, I'm not surprised, and I'm also disgusted at that, 545 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 4: you know, pitiful excuse. 546 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 2: When you see him, even as showing a clip of 547 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: him in court, what is your reaction. 548 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: Because he totally repulsed me. 549 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I when I tend to talk about 550 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 4: the situation or see or you know, see his face 551 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 4: or watch the videos, you know, I feel tense. I've 552 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,719 Speaker 4: kind of come back to that, you know, time that 553 00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 4: day with him. 554 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 5: You know, I feel sweaty and nervous. 555 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 2: Samantha, how has this whole thing affected you? I keep 556 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 2: talking about how strong and how brave you are, and 557 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:13,600 Speaker 2: how you are. 558 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 1: Thinking your way out of this. 559 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 2: All of that is true, but then you're diagnosed with 560 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 2: post traumatic stress syndrome. I know it's got to affect you. 561 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 2: I mean, I know the murder of my fiance has 562 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 2: affected the rest of my life and there's nothing I 563 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 2: can do about it except try to move forward as 564 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 2: best as I can. From my family, How has this 565 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 2: affected you and how do you move forward in life? 566 00:33:41,680 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think as you know, you know, your life 567 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 4: is never the same after something like that that you've 568 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 4: been through or that I've been through. You know, things 569 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 4: are always different and you have to make a new normal. 570 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 4: You know, you have to choose to move forward each day, 571 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 4: and you know, decide how you're going to look at 572 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 4: the bright side, how you're going to move on. In 573 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 4: some days, especially at the beginning, we're difficult. You know, 574 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 4: I was having trouble sleeping. I was scared by every 575 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 4: little noise. I felt like I was also afraid to 576 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 4: be alone. You know, all these things made it difficult 577 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 4: for me to go back to work where I had 578 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,720 Speaker 4: to think on my feet and be empathetic with others 579 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:28,720 Speaker 4: while I'm going through this like terrifying situation. I really 580 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,760 Speaker 4: feel like therapy has helped me a lot in terms 581 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:35,319 Speaker 4: of being able to talk about the situation and kind 582 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 4: of decrease that sort of stress response I have where 583 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 4: I'm able to sleep better at night and you know, 584 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 4: not feel startled by every little thing or the story 585 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 4: of like what's happened to me is, you know, something 586 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:57,319 Speaker 4: I can move past. You know, as sad as it 587 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,200 Speaker 4: is and as difficult as it's been, I feel very 588 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:05,319 Speaker 4: thankful overall that I'm alive, very grateful that I was 589 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 4: able to get through that situation, because so many people, 590 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 4: so many women don't get that opportunity. 591 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 5: They die at the hands of their. 592 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:21,439 Speaker 4: Stalker or abductor or rapist, and you know, never get 593 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:25,320 Speaker 4: to tell their stories, never get the opportunity to recover, 594 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 4: and their loved ones never get to see them again. 595 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 4: You know, I feel like it gives me sort of 596 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 4: a different lease on life, knowing that I have survived something, 597 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:40,879 Speaker 4: and I'm grateful for every day and want to help 598 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 4: prevent this from happening from anyone else. 599 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 5: And that's really why I'm. 600 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 4: Speaking out, you know, to give a voice to the 601 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 4: folks that have gone through this or victims that never 602 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 4: got the opportunity to tell their stories, and to encourage 603 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:59,480 Speaker 4: those that you know, think they may be being stalked 604 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 4: or have been assaulted to report it and try to 605 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:06,359 Speaker 4: seek justice. 606 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 2: Samantha, I don't know if anyone has told you this, 607 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 2: but you're amazing. 608 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:15,279 Speaker 1: You're amazing. I've dealt with. 609 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 2: So many kidnap or stalking rape victims. They cannot or 610 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:29,920 Speaker 2: will not testify. They don't have the strength. 611 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:30,919 Speaker 1: They just. 612 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 2: It destroys their lives forever, and they can't find a way, 613 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:47,279 Speaker 2: even difficult as it is, to move forward. I've had 614 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 2: people ask me how do you stay happy? You seem 615 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:55,000 Speaker 2: happy all the time. It's a decision, and sometimes it's 616 00:36:55,000 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 2: a really hard decision about living that day and what 617 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:04,399 Speaker 2: you're going to do that day, just this one day. 618 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 2: Could you offer advice to other people that are out 619 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,760 Speaker 2: there suffering as you have suffered. 620 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 4: Yeah, I can't imagine having gone through something like this 621 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,440 Speaker 4: and having my stalker rapists still out there, you know. 622 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:29,000 Speaker 4: I can't imagine trying to face each day not knowing 623 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 4: whether or not I'm safe. You know, I can take 624 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:36,440 Speaker 4: comfort in that that he's behind bars now. I feel 625 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 4: like my one I don't know, piece of advice would 626 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:47,760 Speaker 4: be to, you know, get help from therapists, from legal counsel, 627 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 4: you know, do what's right for you. There's not there's 628 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 4: not one single solution that's right for everyone. In some 629 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 4: situations that may not be possible or feasible to find, 630 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:07,959 Speaker 4: you know, legal justice, but it's worth trying. It's worth 631 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:12,319 Speaker 4: trying to feel safe every day and be able to 632 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:15,240 Speaker 4: move on in such a way, and that you deserve 633 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 4: that as a victim. You deserve that as a human 634 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 4: when someone has wronged you. I feel like that's my 635 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:23,400 Speaker 4: one piece of encouragement. 636 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:30,440 Speaker 1: Guys. Joining us tonight is. 637 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 2: Samantha's Tides, who is navigating life after being kidnapped from 638 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 2: a bed, held in a storage container, and so much 639 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 2: more that could have destroyed anyone, but she is soldiering 640 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 2: on and sending a message to other women out there 641 00:38:55,080 --> 00:39:00,320 Speaker 2: that are suffering tonight. Look at her. She has survived 642 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:08,320 Speaker 2: and triumphed. If she can do it, you can do it. Samantha. 643 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:12,919 Speaker 2: Thank you all of us here at Crime Stories, thank 644 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:16,239 Speaker 2: you from the bottom of our hearts, and God bless you. 645 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 1: Thank you. 646 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:22,320 Speaker 2: Now we remember an American hero, Sheriff Robert Rogers, Wilcox 647 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 2: County Sheriff's Georgia, killed in the line of duty after 648 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:31,440 Speaker 2: twenty two years and law enforcement, leaving behind a grieving 649 00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:39,520 Speaker 2: Widowhalley and son Robert American hero sheriff Robert Rogers. 650 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: Nancy Grace signing off goodbye friend 651 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:02,560 Speaker 2: As