The brutal murder of Alexandra “Zandra” Ducsay by her ex-boyfriend Matthew Pugh features on the latest episode of Investigation Discovery series American Nightmare.
Alexandra — who was an aspiring actress and dancer — was found by her mother beaten to death in the basement of her home in Milford, Connecticut, in May 2006. She was just 26 years old at the time.
She had first started dating Pugh when she was just 16, but they had split up after he went to prison on drugs charges.
Following their break-up, and while Pugh was still in prison, Alexandra’s mother wrote to authorities in January 2004 telling them that he had threatened her daughter in letters and on the phone from behind bars.
He was released in August of that year — less than two years before he beat Alexandra to death with a baseball bat.
The case went cold after the police were unable to pin down Pugh, who was a suspect from the start.
However, he was finally linked to the crime thanks to a tiny bit of tape which detectives found on Alexandra’s cheek. The type of tape was only sold in three companies in Connecticut, one of which Pugh had worked for.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelPugh was arrested in September 2012, more than six years after Alexandra’s death. He pleaded not guilty to murder and burglary, but in March 2015 was convicted by a jury.
He was sentenced to the maximum allowed — 60 years in prison for the murder, and 20 for burglary.
American Nightmare airs at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.