Man Arrested For Attempted Armed Kidnapping At Sonya Deville's Home
The incident happened early Sunday morning...
A South Carolina man was arrested on Sunday for an attempted kidnapping of a Lutz, Florida homeowner.
Although investigators did not identify the victim, the home where the suspect was arrested is owned by Daria Berenato, also known as WWE performer Sonya Deville.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter later received a report from a neighbor of Deville's, confirming that the break-in had occurred.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the man, 24-year-old Phillip A. Thomas, reportedly began planning the abduction eight months ago.
Thomas and Deville had never met previously, but the report claims that Thomas had been stalking her for years.
According to the report, Thomas parked his car at a nearby church and walked to Deville's residence shortly after midnight Sunday morning. He is reputed to have cut his way into the patio area and waited for several hours. At 2:43 in the morning, Thomas entered the home, activating the alarm.
The homeowner then fled with a guest and called 911.
Thomas was still in the home when police arrived. He was carrying a knife, plastic zip ties, duct tape, mace and other items. He reportedly told deputies he was planning to take the homeowner hostage.
The report notes that Thomas frequently tweeted to and about Deville on social media, and frequently defended her against critics on Twitter.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.