Imagine living in constant fear for over a decade, only to find yourself trapped in a soundproof bunker for 14 grueling hours. This is the harrowing reality that Samantha Stites faced, and her story is nothing short of chilling. In the gripping documentary "Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror," she details the unthinkable terror inflicted upon her by a relentless stalker.

The nightmare began in 2011 when Samantha was just a college student at Grand Valley State University. Christopher Thomas, a man older than her by seven years, began showing up at her Christian group, seemingly innocent at first. But what started as casual interactions quickly morphed into a sinister obsession. Samantha recalls thinking, "At first I think he is just lonely and for some reason finds me an approachable person to talk to. And then at some point, it kind of changes."

Despite her clear rejections and attempts to set boundaries, Thomas escalated his behavior. He would surprise her with flowers at work, stalk her during sports practices, and even tracked her movements using GPS devices secretly placed on her car. As her former roommate Charissa Hayden noted, Samantha's compassion was misinterpreted: "She felt sorry for him. So she was a little bit nice to him. And he took that and he spun it into something it wasn't and ran away with it."

On that fateful day, October 7, 2022, Thomas broke into Samantha's home and kidnapped her, taking her to a soundproof bunker he’d meticulously prepared months in advance. Detective Mike Matteucci from the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office described the bunker as a disturbing creation: "He spent thousands of dollars on creating this box so he could spend time with Sam, and do God only knows what."

Trapped, Samantha faced the unimaginable. Thomas revealed he had been tracking her for over a year, showing her how he monitored her every move. During those terrifying hours, she cleverly engaged him in conversation, seizing an opportunity when he expressed fear about going to prison. By promising not to report him, she convinced him to let her go and immediately sought help once free.

What makes this story even more haunting is that Thomas had a prior conviction for stalking another woman, Kelli, who had also tried to protect herself with a protection order. She told ABC News, "I always knew that there would be somebody else."

In a shocking twist, the judge who presided over Thomas's case had previously denied Samantha’s request for a protection order just months before the kidnapping. During sentencing, Judge Kevin Elsenheimer acknowledged not only the severity of Thomas's actions but also his likelihood to reoffend, pointing to chilling conversations he had with his mother where he expressed a complete lack of remorse.

For the rest of his life, Thomas will be monitored with a GPS device should he ever be released. As Samantha reflected on her ordeal, she poignantly stated, "Justice is a funny thing. It doesn't necessarily come in the form of prison years. I can't ever go back to before I was kidnapped. That’s something I had to grieve." However, she finds solace in knowing that she can finally feel safe, saying, "I should feel safe with him off the street and that I am protected meant a lot. I felt free."

This case has spurred changes in Michigan’s legal system regarding how protection orders are handled, emphasizing the importance of examining prior PPOs before making recommendations. As Samantha urged, "I want other women, whether they've been stalked or sexually assaulted or not believed, to see my story and think things can change."