NatalinaBizarre and True Tale of Weird Love
August 11th 2009 03:39
In 1959, one of the most notoriously bizarre stories of love and betrayal began. Linda Riss was 20 years old, living in East Bronx. She was beautiful by anyone’s standard. Riss met an older man named Burt Pugach, a lawyer and somewhat shady character. Pugach became enamored with Riss, and pursued her relentlessly. Riss fell for his charms, and they began dating exclusively.
Withing a year of their courtship, Burt proposed and Riss accepted. Then, things took a dramatically twisted turn. Linda discovered to her horror that the man she had agreed to marry was already married and had a child. When she confronted him, he admitted to the deception, a swore he’d get a speedy divorce. Linda told him she’d consider taking him back as soon as he could produce the divorce papers. He did. But wary after already having been fooled, Linda did a little investigating, and found the divorce papers to by phony.
As it turned out, Pugach’s wife Francine refused to grant him a divorce. Their daughter Caryn had severe learning difficulties, and Francine was not about to be left without a husband to provide for them. Allowing all of this to sink in, Linda called off the wedding, and started dating other men. Burt obsessively pursued her, even stalked her, saying “If I can’t have you, no one else will.”
Finally, the whole thing came to a head when Pugach hired 3 men to carry out a horrific plot. On June 15, 1959, Linda’s mother answered the door at their apartment in the East Bronx, and was told there was a delivery for Linda. As soon as Linda appeared at the door, the man through chemical Lye in her face causing her to lose her hair and the vision in one of her eyes. As time went on, Linda went completely blind. And although Pugach wasn’t the person at the door, it was clear that he was behind the attacks. His goal? To maim Linda to the point where no one else would want her. Pugach was sentenced to 30 years in prison, 14 with good behavior.
Linda traveled Europe with some friends, always hiding behind very dark glasses. Although her skin was restored and her appearance was mostly as lovely as before, her eyes were left horribly disfigured. At one point she fell for a man who she thought might be the one. One night, she let him see her eyes. She never heard from him again. Her self esteem was terribly damaged.
In 1974, Burt was nearing the end of his sentence, and he once again began sending love letters to Linda. They proclaimed that “No one will love you the way I do”. He asked his lawyer to visit Linda, and ask if there was anything she needed. “Tell him I need some money” is what she said. She was broke having been so limited in the work she was able to do, and Burt commenced sending her $50 a week. When he was released, Linda was put under police protection. Even with all that had happened, Linda’s friends started encouraging her to meet up with Burt. They believed that she needed a husband. Considering herself to be damaged goods, she decided that Burt really did love her, and soon…. they were engaged to be married. The headlines in the paper read, “Blinded bride-to-be weds her attacker.”
Linda and Burt have been married ever since, and by all accounts have a normal and happy marriage. Linda says she’s forgiven Burt. He says he loves her still after 30 years together. Although he stalked her, harassed her, and eventually had her blinded and disfigured for life with acid… she says that the moment she agreed to marry him 1974, she never made him explain why he did it. She thinks that would be unfair. Burt claims he was temporarily insane, and that the action he took against Linda all those years ago was not the real him.
It is interesting to note that in 1997, Burt Pugach was arrested for stalking and harassing his Filipino secretary, with whom he’d been having an affair. When it came time for him to go on trial, the star witness who got Pugach acquitted was his wife, Linda, who testified, “Burt is a wonderful, devoted husband.”
The twisted tale of Burt and Linda Pugach was made into an award winning documentary Crazy Love, which explores the relationship in detail. This doc was what first brought this insane story to my attention. And of course, the Pugach’s were at the premiere.
Crazy Love Trailer
If you thought this was a crazy tale of weird romance....click the link below to find a few more stories I dug up...sure to disturb you for days to come!
Bizarre and True Tales of Weird Love
Withing a year of their courtship, Burt proposed and Riss accepted. Then, things took a dramatically twisted turn. Linda discovered to her horror that the man she had agreed to marry was already married and had a child. When she confronted him, he admitted to the deception, a swore he’d get a speedy divorce. Linda told him she’d consider taking him back as soon as he could produce the divorce papers. He did. But wary after already having been fooled, Linda did a little investigating, and found the divorce papers to by phony.
As it turned out, Pugach’s wife Francine refused to grant him a divorce. Their daughter Caryn had severe learning difficulties, and Francine was not about to be left without a husband to provide for them. Allowing all of this to sink in, Linda called off the wedding, and started dating other men. Burt obsessively pursued her, even stalked her, saying “If I can’t have you, no one else will.”
Finally, the whole thing came to a head when Pugach hired 3 men to carry out a horrific plot. On June 15, 1959, Linda’s mother answered the door at their apartment in the East Bronx, and was told there was a delivery for Linda. As soon as Linda appeared at the door, the man through chemical Lye in her face causing her to lose her hair and the vision in one of her eyes. As time went on, Linda went completely blind. And although Pugach wasn’t the person at the door, it was clear that he was behind the attacks. His goal? To maim Linda to the point where no one else would want her. Pugach was sentenced to 30 years in prison, 14 with good behavior.
Linda traveled Europe with some friends, always hiding behind very dark glasses. Although her skin was restored and her appearance was mostly as lovely as before, her eyes were left horribly disfigured. At one point she fell for a man who she thought might be the one. One night, she let him see her eyes. She never heard from him again. Her self esteem was terribly damaged.
In 1974, Burt was nearing the end of his sentence, and he once again began sending love letters to Linda. They proclaimed that “No one will love you the way I do”. He asked his lawyer to visit Linda, and ask if there was anything she needed. “Tell him I need some money” is what she said. She was broke having been so limited in the work she was able to do, and Burt commenced sending her $50 a week. When he was released, Linda was put under police protection. Even with all that had happened, Linda’s friends started encouraging her to meet up with Burt. They believed that she needed a husband. Considering herself to be damaged goods, she decided that Burt really did love her, and soon…. they were engaged to be married. The headlines in the paper read, “Blinded bride-to-be weds her attacker.”
Linda and Burt have been married ever since, and by all accounts have a normal and happy marriage. Linda says she’s forgiven Burt. He says he loves her still after 30 years together. Although he stalked her, harassed her, and eventually had her blinded and disfigured for life with acid… she says that the moment she agreed to marry him 1974, she never made him explain why he did it. She thinks that would be unfair. Burt claims he was temporarily insane, and that the action he took against Linda all those years ago was not the real him.
It is interesting to note that in 1997, Burt Pugach was arrested for stalking and harassing his Filipino secretary, with whom he’d been having an affair. When it came time for him to go on trial, the star witness who got Pugach acquitted was his wife, Linda, who testified, “Burt is a wonderful, devoted husband.”
The twisted tale of Burt and Linda Pugach was made into an award winning documentary Crazy Love, which explores the relationship in detail. This doc was what first brought this insane story to my attention. And of course, the Pugach’s were at the premiere.
Crazy Love Trailer
If you thought this was a crazy tale of weird romance....click the link below to find a few more stories I dug up...sure to disturb you for days to come!
Bizarre and True Tales of Weird Love
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what was the overall point they were trying to make?
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This story intrigues me, the odd nature of human affection always has..... have had 'Crazy love" in my netflix queue for a while now....will return once I have seen it.
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