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The death of award-winning dancer and aspiring actress Alexandra Ducsay made headlines in 2006 after her barely recognizable body was found in her home in Milford, Connecticut. The crime scene discovered by her mother demonstrated signs of a struggle, blood-splattered walls, and a bloody carpet. Further tests confirmed that she died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Using evidence found at the crime scene, witness statements, and a crucial tip, detectives were able to connect her former boyfriend and ex-convict Matthew Pugh to the killing six years later. He was found guilty in 2015 as prosecutors proved that he murdered the 26-year-old as payback, an allegation backed by his cousin's testimony.
Alexandra Ducsay's case will be featured in an upcoming episode of ID's A Time to Kill. The official synopsis for the episode, titled Curtain Call, states:
"An enraged killer strikes down 26-year-old Alexandra Ducsay, an aspiring entertainer with a big heart and a blossoming career; slain inside her family's Connecticut home, her attacker uses her own dance trophy to bludgeon her to death."
The episode airs on the channel this Thursday, March 30, at 9 pm ET.
Alexandra Ducsay's murder: Five quick facts to know about the vicious killing of the Law & Order actress
1) Ducsay was found at a bloody crime scene by her mother
In May 2006, 26-year-old Alexandra Ducsay was found dead in the basement of her Milford home by her mother, who made a frantic 911 call after finding her tied-up body on the basement floor. Reports state that the body was beaten and stabbed beyond recognition in a crime scene with large blood splattered walls and a blood-stained carpet.
2) Alexandra Ducsay died of "sharp and blunt force injuries" to her head
An autopsy confirmed that Ducsay died of severe sharp and blunt force injuries to the head. Reports further stated that her mouth had been tightly taped and her head was struck so hard that some of her teeth were found inside her stomach.
The blade of a kitchen knife was found next to the body, while one of her dancing trophies, which was reported missing from her collection, was determined to be the murder weapon. Police also found a piece of black-colored vinyl tape stuck to her cheek.
3) The man she was seeing claimed that an ex-boyfriend had stopped by her place
Jason Malone, Ducsay's co-worker from the local bank where she worked as a systems analyst and the man she was dating at the time, informed detectives that he was on a call with her that day sometime after 12 pm. He said that he had been planning for a date that evening when he heard her say:
"What are you doing here?"
She then told Malone that her ex-boyfriend was at her house.
Detectives then learned that the 26-year-old had a rocky relationship with her ex-boyfriend Matthew Pugh. The two used to date a long time ago, after which Pugh was sent to prison on drug-related charges. The two stayed in touch via letter, which turned into threats and harassment when she broke up with him. Ducsay had reported him, but the threats continued even after his release.
4) A crucial tip and a rare piece of evidence from the crime scene led to an arrested six years later
Ducsay's case remained cold for about six years until January 2012, when one of Matthew Pugh's cousins provided detectives with a crucial tip. They stated that before the murder, Pugh told him about his intentions to kill the 26-year-old as payback for the time she reported him for harassment.
The piece of black vinyl tape found on the victim's cheek was also confirmed to be so rare that only three companies used it, one being Pugh's company. The same tape was also found at his house.
5) Nearly nine years later, the ex-boyfriend was found guilty in Alexandra Ducsay's murder
In March 2015, Matthew Pugh was convicted of murder and robbery-related charges in Ducsay's killing. During his trial, prosecutor Kevin Lawlor called her murder "one of the most brutal" crimes, while the victim's mother claimed how "justice prevailed over evil" in the case.
Pugh was later sentenced to 60 years for the murder charge and a 20-year term for the first-degree robbery charge to be served concurrently.
