Season 1 episode 7 of PD True on Paramount+, titled Murder in the Building is set to delve deep into the brutal homicide of Sasha Samsudean.
Sasha Samsudean was first assaulted and later killed by Stephen Duxbury on October 17, 2015, at her apartment in Orlando, Florida, as reported by Wesh News. The detectives found her dead body inside her bedroom wrapped in a blanket with partial clothing. There were no signs of forced entry into the room; however, there were DNA and footprints of an intruder, who was possibly the murderer.
Later, when the detectives found enough evidence against Stephen Duxbury, the security guard of the building where Sasha lived, the jury charged him with theft, first-degree murder, and s*xual assault on November 21, 2017.
Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of s*xual assault.
5 chilling details about Sasha Samsudean's murder
1) Strong bleach odor
As reported by News 6, Anthony Roper (Sasha Samaudean’s friend) called the law officers to break open Sasha’s door to find out about her whereabouts. When the police entered the room, there was a strong and pungent bleach odor.
The detectives later speculated how the assassin wanted to use bleach to get rid of every kind of evidence from the crime scene. Despite the use of bleach, forensics still found Stephen Duxbury’s DNA, footprints, and fingerprints from the crime scene, which convinced the jury of how he had killed her.
2) Sasha Samsudean's body was wrapped in a blanket
As reported by News 6, Sasha Samsudean was lying on the bed, wrapped up in a blanket as the detectives entered the scene. Her purple shirt was ripped off and her necklace was tangled up in her hair. Her undergarments were forcefully removed and were missing.
Her body also smelled of bleach. The detectives speculated how the assassin s*xually assaulted her while she was in an intoxicated state and later killed her. Once this heinous crime was committed, the killer tried to remove all evidence with the help of bleach and cleaning products and then wrapped her half-naked body in a blanket.
3) Sasha’s autopsy reports were scarring
When Sasha’s autopsy report came out, it revealed that she died of asphyxiation. There were also signs of multiple injuries like bruising on her chest, head, and several body parts.
The autopsy makes it clear how brutal the murder was. Sasha tried to defend herself, which was evident from the marks found on her elbow. However, being in an intoxicated state, she could not fight back and save herself. The crime officers also speculated how she could have been restrained during the assault.
4) Duxbury saw a strange male
As per Duxbury’s official interrogation statements, he had seen Sasha with a Caucasian male with brown hair. According to him, the stranger and Sasha were walking down corridors.
The detectives speculated Sasha’s former lovers were her killers. However, when they compared the DNA of her lovers with the ones found at the crime scene, it did not match. Only Duxbury’s DNA matched the ones with the crime scene. There was no evidence of a secondary intruder found other than him.
However, following Duxbury’s statements, he strongly denied any involvement in this murder. So, was there a second intruder or was Stephen merely lying to save himself stands as the question of the hour. With the case now closed and Duxbury charged with Sasha’s murder, any speculations or questions remain unanswered.
5) Duxbury signed for a polygraph test
Even though Stephen was guilty as per the evidence found at the crime scene, he still did not opt out of a polygraph test. This proves to what extent he went to save himself from his crimes. Stephen’s polygraph report showed multiple instances of jumping heart rates, which was again a sign of his deception.
The police later found enough evidence including his shoes, the shoe prints of which matched the ones at the crime scene. Stephen’s DNA also matched with the ones found on her chest and his fingerprints were also located inside Sasha's toilet, proving him guilty of first-degree murder.
To know more about Sasha Samsudean's murder case, watch season 1 episode 7 of PD True on Paramount+.