Orlando apartment security guard indicted in murder, sex battery of resident

Stephen Duxbury accused of killing Sasha Samsudean at Uptown Place apartments

ORLANDO, Fla. – A grand jury has indicted a downtown Orlando apartment security guard in the murder and sexual battery of one of the apartment complex residents.

Stephen Duxbury, the security guard accused of killing 27-year-old Sasha Samsudean at her Uptown Place apartment, has been in the Orange County Jail without bond on sexual battery and murder charges since his October 2015 arrest.

Duxbury was indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, attempted sexual battery with a weapon or physical force and burglary of a dwelling with assault or battery.

Surveillance video showed Samsudean walking with Duxbury inside of the apartments. Two days later, she was found dead inside her apartment. She had been raped, strangled and her body doused in bleach, officials said.

"If the state's going to bring this as a capital case, they've got to bring this before a grand jury. They have to go ahead and get an indictment," said attorney Steven Kramer.

Analyzing the decision to let a grand jury return an indictment, Kramer said the experience was also a good first-run for prosecutors.

"It's an opportunity to see what evidence is out there, to kind of organize it, and get a grasp of what the case is going to become," Kramer said. "Maybe get a read for how jurors react to it."

Duxbury will face arraignment next.  A date for that hearing has not been set. 


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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