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'Stalking Samantha' Streams as Michigan Stalker Serves 40–60 Years in Prison

The new series spotlights gaps in protection orders that later spurred Michigan court policy changes.

Overview

  • ABC News Studios' three-part documentary debuted this week, streaming on Hulu and Disney+, with JioHotstar carrying it in some regions.
  • Samantha Stites was abducted on Oct. 7, 2022 and held about 13–14 hours in a soundproof storage-unit bunker before securing her release and alerting police.
  • Christopher Thomas pleaded guilty in December 2023 to kidnapping, torture and aggravated stalking, and was sentenced in early 2024 to 40–60 years with lifetime GPS monitoring if ever released.
  • Michigan records show Thomas, 41, is incarcerated at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility with an earliest possible release date in July 2062.
  • Investigators detailed years of stalking and covert GPS tracking plus a 2009 protection order involving another woman, and the case prompted a requirement that referees review prior PPOs when advising judges.