The terrifying case of Stalking Samantha - A detailed case overview of Hulu's upcoming true crime show

The terrifying case of Michigan's Samantha Stites and her stalker is now detailed in ABC News Studios’ three-part series Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror. The story begins with a 2011 campus meeting between Samantha Stites and Christopher Thomas, then covers a six-year protection order, its expiration, and a 2022 abduction into a soundproof storage unit bunker.

Built from interviews, police materials, and recovered media, the series shows how contact escalated across years and how detectives later traced the storage unit after Stites reached safety. All three episodes stream on Hulu, with availability through Hulu on Disney+. ABC’s preview also notes claims that the kidnapper copied ideas from the TV drama You, according to ABC7 (Aug. 18, 2025).

Detailed overview of the terrifying case of Stalking Samantha

The timeline for the terrifying case of Samantha Stites and Her Stalker begins at Grand Valley State University in 2011. Samantha Stites met Christopher Thomas on campus. After the campus meeting in 2011, Christopher Thomas sent messages and made repeated in-person approaches, later appearing at Stites’ workplace and other public spots near her home.

When the PPO expired in 2020, Stites again reported seeing Thomas at a gym, grocery stores, and local league games. Filing for a new order proved difficult and did not result in a replacement order at that time.

Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror (Image via @ABCNews YouTube)

In July 2022, Stites petitioned for a new PPO in Grand Traverse County. The process required a hearing with both parties present. Out of fear that an in-person denial could escalate danger, she did not proceed, and the court later denied the petition for lack of sufficient facts.

In October 2022, Thomas broke into Stites’ home, restrained her, and drove her to a Grand Traverse County storage facility. Inside a sound-dampened bunker, built within a rented unit, restraints and other equipment were present.

Accounts in the series state that Thomas talked about staging a drowning by placing Stites’ paddleboard at a nearby lake, and that he looked to the TV drama You as a model, according to ABC7 (Aug. 18, 2025). After release from the unit, Stites reached help and provided precise route details. Police located the site and arrested Thomas within a short window.

Digital evidence included surveillance from the storage unit and material recovered from a phone. The criminal case moved forward in 2023 and 2024. A jury found Thomas guilty of kidnapping, torture, and aggravated stalking. The sentence set a prison term of 40 to 60 years.

Reporting describes how earlier warnings, the expired order, and the storage-unit design all factored into the final case record, as reported by The Telegraph.

Also read: Where is Samantha Stites now ahead of Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror? Explained

About Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror

ABC News Studios and Bigger Bang produce a three-part series built around Stites’ on-camera testimony, police interview footage, storage-unit surveillance, and recovered images and videos.

The producers listed include Beth Hoppe and David Sloan for ABC News Studios and Iain Riddick for Bigger Bang. The structure follows the campus meeting, the protection-order phase, the 2022 abduction, the hospital visit, and the arrest and sentencing.

Where to watch Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror

The docuseries titled “Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror” debuts August 19, 2025. All episodes stream in the United States on Hulu. The title will also be available through Hulu on Disney+. Separate international dates were not included in the provided material, and ABC’s preview positions the U.S. rollout first, according to ABC7.

Also read: Where to watch Samantha Stites' story of abduction ahead Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror? Streaming details, explored

About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is an Entertainment writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

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Edited by Bharath S