The Investigation and Conviction of Stephen Duxbury for the Murder of Sasha Samsudean

The painful story of Sasha Samsudean

By Rare StoriesPublished 11 months ago • 3 min read

Born in New York City in 1988, Sasha Samsudean was an exuberant and accomplished woman whose life was cut tragically short.

Sasha worked for the educational services firm Pearson, where she managed their social media accounts. She was also a tireless volunteer with the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando, her efforts earning her the accolade of Account Executive of the Year in 2012.

Her magnetic personality made her well-liked and admired among her peers, and her untimely death sent shockwaves through her community.

Sasha lived in the Uptown Place Condominiums in downtown Orlando, a mid-rise complex built in 2002. The building offered a range of amenities, including a business center, pool, concierge service, and garage parking.

The building was situated in a bustling entertainment district, providing easy access to the vibrant nightlife of Orlando.

The Night of the Crime

On October 17, 2015, Sasha enjoyed a night out with friends in downtown Orlando. As the evening wound down, she decided to head home, leaving the Attic Nightclub alone in the early morning hours.

Intoxicated and struggling to locate her apartment, she was helped by two women who she met on her journey home. They took Sasha back to her building, where she was met by the building's security guard, Stephen Duxbury.

Sasha's interactions with Duxbury raised alarms on the security footage. Despite his claims of having merely assisted Sasha at the entrance of the building, the footage suggested a different story. It showed Duxbury following Sasha around the building, acting suspiciously and contradicting his original account of the events of that night.

Discovery of the Crime and Initial Investigation

The following day, when Sasha failed to respond to calls and messages and missed a prearranged breakfast, her friends grew concerned. After finding a present meant for a baby shower in her car, they requested a police welfare check. When the officers arrived, they were greeted by a strong smell of bleach.

Inside the apartment, they discovered Sasha's body, partially clothed and wrapped in her comforter. Despite the absence of signs of forced entry, evidence suggested a violent struggle.

raised toilet seat lid as found in her apartment

Traces of male DNA were found in the apartment, and fingerprints were discovered underneath the toilet seat lid, indicating the presence of a male in Sasha's home.

Unraveling the Crime

Security footage revealed Duxbury's actions during the early hours of the morning. He was seen following Sasha around the building for almost 40 minutes, using his key to access several sealed doors. At 6:36 a.m., Duxbury was captured disposing of refuse bags which matched those found in Sasha's apartment.

Moreover, a search of Duxbury's home and phone revealed that he had sought information on how to override a specific type of door lock, identical to the one on Sasha's front door. Duxbury's fingerprints matched those found on the toilet seat rim and Sasha's nightstand, and the DNA found on Sasha's body was conclusively identified as Duxbury's.

Legal Proceedings and Outcome

On October 30, 2015, Stephen Duxbury was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, attempted sexual battery, and burglary.

After a six-day trial, Duxbury was found guilty of all charges on November 21, 2017. For the first-degree murder of Sasha Samsudean, he was given two life sentences without the possibility of parole, and an additional 15 years for the burglary conviction.