Trial begins for security guard accused of killing Orlando woman
News 6
By Emilee Speck
14 November 2017
ORLANDO, Fla. - The trial for the man accused of killing a young woman
in her downtown Orlando apartment in 2015 began Tuesday afternoon at
the Orange County Courthouse.
Stephen Duxbury, 35, was working as a security guard at Uptown Place
Condominiums the same October night 27-year-old Sasha Samsudean was
murdered.
Samsudean had returned home in an Uber after a night out with friends, police said.
Orlando police said while on the job, Duxbury followed Samsudean into
her apartment, raped and killed her. Police said he strangled her, then
rolled her body in her comforter and covered it in bleach. They had
mounting physical evidence, like footprints and defensive wounds,
according to investigators with Orlando police.
Duxbury faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted sexual battery with a deadly weapon and burglary.
Jury selection for the trial started Monday and the jury was seated
Tuesday. Ninth judicial circuit Judge Leticia Marques will hear the
case.
Both the defense and the prosecution will deliver opening statements Tuesday afternoon.
Assistant State Attorney Will Jay opened by telling the jury how Duxbury gained access to Samsudean's home and how she died.
Google records show Duxbury spent seven minutes searching how to defeat
the electronic door lock on Samsudean’s apartment unit, Jay said.
Duxbury crushed Samsudean’s larynx and struck her in the head seven
times before wrapping her up in her bed comforter “like a Tootsie
Roll," the prosecution said.
Jay reviewed the DNA evidence found at the murder scene on the victim and near her body.
Duxbury's attorney Aaron Delgado presented the opening arguments for
the defense trying to place doubt with some of the evidence found at
the scene. Delgado argued that officers "jumped to conclusions" when
arresting Duxbury.
“You’re looking at not only want the evidence shows, but what does it not show,” Delgado said.
After opening remarks the prosecution called its first witness, Anthony Roper, a friend of Samsudean's.
Roper was unable to reach Samsudean the morning after a night out in
Orlando testified that he messaged and called her all day before going
to her apartment. After Samsudean didn’t answer her door, Roper called
Orlando police to file a missing person’s report between 7 and 8 p.m.
Duxbury faces life in prison if convicted.
top contents appendix previous next