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SONYA DEVILLE STALKING CASE UPDATE

By Mike Johnson on 2021-02-15 15:31:00

Depositions are ongoing in regard to the criminal case against WWE star Sonya Deville's alleged stalker Phillip A. Thomas. 

Mandy Rose was deposed on 2/3 at 1 PM EST. Deville gave a deposition before the court via Zoom on 2/13.   A number of police officers who responded to Deville's 911 call are slated to be deposed on 2/18. 

There was a hearing to appoint an expert to help determine whether Thomas is mentally competant to stand trial.   Thomas was scheduled to be deposed via Zoom on 2/25 at 9 AM.

Deville was previously granted an order of protection injunction indefinetly through the resolution of the criminal case against Thomas.  The order states Thomas "shall not commit, or cause any other person to commit, any acts of stalking against Petitioner, including stalking, cyber-stalking, aggravated stalking, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death. Respondent shall not commit any other violation of this injunction through an intentional unlawful threat, word, or act to do violence to Petitioner."

The order also prevents Thomas (who has remained incarcerated in Tampa) from going near Deville's home, within 100 feet of her vehicles or any places requested by Deville where she, members of her family or those closely associated with her "regularly frequent."  The ruling also prevents Thomas from using or possessing any firearm or ammunition.

Thomas has been charged with Aggravated Stalking, Armed Burglary of a Dwelling, Attempted Armed Kidnapping, and Criminal Mischief.   Thomas is being represented by a public defender and has invoked his fifth amendment right to remain silent. 

As previously reported, Tampa authorities have alleged that Thomas had been planning to kidnap Deville for months and drove from South Carolina to Deville's Florida home in order to do so.  Around midnight Sunday morning 8/16/20, Thomas parked his car and found the Deville's home, cut a hole in the patio screen and remained there for hours, watching and listening through the home's windows.  He entered the home around 2:43 AM after Deville went to bed, triggering an alarm by entering through a glass sliding door.  Deville saw Thomas and fled the home with another person who was a guest on the property, calling 911.

When authorities arrived, Thomas was still in the home and was found "carrying a knife, plastic zip ties, duct tape, mace and other items and told deputies he was planning to take the homeowner hostage."  Thomas' social media featured many references to her as well as responses to Deville and others who wrote about her.   Deville testified that Thomas sent threatening messages about her, her ex-girlfriend, her mother, her father, her sisters, her niece and Mandy Rose.

Deville returned to WWE programming this past Friday on Smackdown with the storyline being that she has been reinstated after losing a "Loser Leaves WWE" match to Mandy Rose at Summerslam that took place just days after the home invasion - that departure was to provide Deville with time off after the home invasion.

Thanks to Richard Trionfo.

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