In August 2020, Philip A. Thomas II attempted to kidnap Sonya Deville (real name Daria Berenato). The man entered her home and had a knife, zip ties, duct tape, and other items. He reportedly had planned for eight months to abduct her.
He was arrested for stalking and breaking into Deville's home, and eventually sentenced to 15 years in prison in May 2023.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on the Ariel Helwani Show, Deville was asked what happened after he was arrested.
"WWE sent security to meet me there to go in the house and get my stuff out. They got us a hotel in downtown Tampa. I was so paranoid. I thought the hotel couldn't be in my name because the whole concern was he was going to get out on bail and they weren't going to grant a permit restraining order. The people at Tampa Police who were communicating with me were like, 'He's going to get some kind of bail. I don't know if he going to be able to make it, but he's going to get some kind of bail.' I was freaking out. He's going to be loose tonight and come right back after me. The cops made it clear, and in the interrogation he made it clear he's not done with me, and when he gets free he will come back after me. I was freaked out. I put the hotel name under an alias. Me and Mandy [Rose] are in a hotel room together, scared shitless, we dragged the dresser in front of the hotel room door.
"I'm talking to Vince [McMahon]. SummerSlam is coming up and he's checking in on me. He said, 'Why don't you come to the venue? I want to say hi and hug you.' We drove to the venue, saw him, Hunter [Triple H] and Stephanie [McMahon] were there. He's like, 'What do you need from me?' 'I don't know.' 'Are you going to be okay staying back at your house?' 'No, I don't think I can go back there.' I left on my ADT camera and there were reporters all over my front door step. 'I can't do this. It's okay. I'll figure it out.' Vince is like, 'No, what do you want to do? Do you need a place to stay?' 'I don't know. My dad is coming down tomorrow and we'll try to figure something out.' 'Alright, we'll get you a place to stay if you need a place to stay.' Vince rented a house for me to stay in, in a different part of Florida. My mom came to stay with me. Mandy stayed with me a little. Mandy's mom came and stayed, and hired 24/7 armed security. These guys had guns on their hips."
Deville said they stayed with her for a month.
She said she never stayed in the house Thomas II broke into, choosing to rent it out and then sell it.
After Thomas II was sentenced, Deville put out a statement saying she was able to get some closure. You can read her statement here.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit and link to the original source with a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.
