Survivor Tells Nancy Grace How She Outsmarted Her Captor, Escaped Bunker

The Abduction and Captivity

• ⚠️ Samantha Stites was stalked by her captor, Thomas, who became obsessed after following her from her home to her internship.
• 🚨 Thomas broke into her home, attacked her in bed, choked her, and then gagged and handcuffed her before abducting her.
• 🔑 He transported her to a soundproof cell he constructed in a storage unit, revealing he was inspired by the Netflix show "You" and planned to keep her for two weeks before disposing of her body.

Samantha's Survival Strategy

• 🧠 Despite intense fear, Samantha, a therapist and social worker, maintained a calm demeanor and used psychological tactics to negotiate with Thomas.
• 💬 She employed motivational interviewing techniques to understand his motivations and tried to bargain for her release, recognizing her mind was her only means of escape.
• 🔑 Samantha also attempted to track her location during transport, noting turns and realizing she was only about a quarter-mile from her home.

Captor's Deception and Release

• 🚗 Thomas chained Samantha to the wall and moved her vehicle to a Menard's parking lot to mislead potential investigators, having planned to eventually leave her car by Lake Michigan to simulate a drowning.
• ⚠️ After being raped, Thomas followed through on his promise to release her, dropping her back at her car in the parking lot.

Post-Escape Actions and Arrest

• 🏥 From a locked bathroom, Samantha strategically called a coworker who was also a nurse and neighbor for help, avoiding close contacts her captor knew and ensuring she could get to a hospital for a rape kit.
• ✅ Nurses performed a rape kit and provided precautionary STI medication, leading to Thomas's arrest just hours later.
• 🚨 Officers tracked down Samantha's car and searched the storage unit, discovering the soundproof bunker Thomas had constructed.