In the summer of 2020, Phillip A. Thomas II was arrested for attempting to kidnap WWE star Sonya Deville. He later pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempted kidnapping, aggravated stalking, and armed burglary. As part of his plea deal, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 15 years of probation.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Deville opened up about how then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon stepped in to support her during the aftermath of the terrifying ordeal.
“He’s checking in on me and he’s like, ‘Are you okay?’ He’s like, ‘Why don’t you come to the venue? I want to say hi to you. I want to hug you.’ I was like, ‘Okay.’ We drove to the venue. We saw him. Hunter [Triple H] was there. Stephanie [McMahon] was there. He was like, ‘What do you need from me?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know.’
He asked, ‘Are you going to be okay staying back in your house?’ I told him, ‘No, I don’t think I can go back there.’ I checked my ADT cameras, and there were reporters all over my front doorstep. I was like, ‘I can’t do this.’ So I said, ‘It’s okay, I’ll figure it out.’ But Vince insisted, ‘No, what do you want to do? Do you need a place to stay?’
I didn’t know what to say. My dad was coming down the next day, so I told him I’d try to figure something out. Vince responded, ‘All right, well, we’ll get you a place to stay if you need one.’”
Deville then revealed that McMahon personally arranged for her temporary housing and security measures to ensure her safety.
“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say it, but I guess I can—it’s my story. Vince rented a house for me in a different part of Florida. My mom came down and stayed with me. Mandy [Rose] stayed with me for a bit. Mandy’s mom came too, and they hired 24/7 armed security. These guys had guns on their hips.
[When asked how long she stayed there] A month. That’s where I went after everything, and nobody knows that. But luckily, I got a call from the Tampa Police Department a few days later, and he [Thomas] was denied bail. That meant I was safe—but I didn’t feel safe.
The next several months were a whirlwind. I went and got my right to carry. Eventually, I moved myself into a high-rise apartment where I thought I’d feel the most secure.”
Deville’s experience was a deeply traumatic one, but she credited McMahon and WWE for stepping up to help her through the ordeal.
After Sonya Devilles incident with a stalker in 2021, Vince McMahon got her a house to stay in and 24/7 armed security for a month.
(The Ariel Helwani Show) pic.twitter.com/GC2sFZiji9
— Female Locker Room (@femalelroom) March 3, 2025
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