In 1959, a beautiful 21-year-old woman named Linda Riss opened her apartment door to a man she thought was a delivery boy. Instead of a package, he hurled a jar of lye directly into her face. The chemical didn't just burn; it melted her skin and took most of her eyesight. This wasn't a random mugging. It was a hit ordered by her obsessive ex-boyfriend, a high-flying Bronx attorney named Burt Pugach.
Most true crime stories end at the courthouse. This one is different. This one is actually haunting. After serving 14 years in prison for the attack, Burt Pugach walked out of jail, proposed to the woman he blinded, and she said yes. They stayed married for nearly 40 years until her death in 2013.
If you think that sounds like a Hallmark movie gone wrong, you're right. It's the kind of story that makes you want to look away but keeps you glued to the screen.
The Obsession That Started It All
Burt Pugach wasn't a typical thug. He was a wealthy lawyer with a private plane and a nightclub. He looked like the dream catch for a girl from the East Bronx. When he met Linda in 1957, he was 30 and she was 20. She looked like a young Elizabeth Taylor—stunning, dark-haired, and full of life.
Burt was smitten. Actually, he was possessed. He showered her with gifts and flew her to Florida on his plane. But there was a massive, glaring problem: Burt was already married with a daughter.
When Linda found out about the wife, Francine, she did what any sane person would do. She ended it. But Burt wasn't having it. He faked divorce papers to win her back. When she realized those were forgeries, she tried to move on for good and got engaged to a guy named Larry Schwartz.
That was the breaking point. Burt reportedly told her, "If I can't have you, no one else will."
The Attack and the Trial
On June 15, 1959, the threat became a reality. Burt hired three men—Al Smith Newkirk, Heard Harden, and Walter McMillian—to "maim" Linda. He didn't want her dead; he wanted her "damaged merchandise" so no other man would want her.
The lye attack was horrific. Linda spent months in the hospital, her head wrapped in bandages, undergoing countless surgeries. Larry, the fiancé, eventually walked away. He couldn't handle the reality of her injuries.
The trial was a media circus. Burt, the arrogant lawyer, tried to claim he was being blackmailed by his own hired thugs. It didn't work. In 1962, he was sentenced to 15 to 30 years.
Why Did Linda Marry Him?
This is the question everyone asks. Why would a woman marry the man who hired people to throw lye in her face?
Honestly, the answer is complicated and kinda sad. When Burt was released in 1974, Linda's life had changed. She was living in a small apartment, mostly blind, and feeling like the world had passed her by. She had tried dating, but men often disappeared once they saw the extent of her scarring or realized she was "that girl" from the headlines.
Meanwhile, Burt had spent 14 years writing her letters from prison. He never stopped. When he got out, he went on television and proposed to her publicly.
- She felt she had no other options.
- Burt was the only one who "saw" her as she used to be.
- It was a strange form of security in a world that had been cruel to her.
They married in November 1974. The New York tabloids went wild. It was the ultimate "only in New York" story.
The Second Scandal: History Repeats?
You’d think after 14 years in the big house, Burt would have learned his lesson. He didn't. In 1997, decades into his marriage with Linda, Burt was arrested again.
This time, it was for stalking and threatening a mistress named Evangeline Borja. He allegedly told her he would do to her what he did to Linda. It was like a sick replay of 1959.
But here’s the kicker: Linda Riss Pugach showed up at the trial as his character witness. She sat there, scarred and blind because of him, and defended him. She told the press that he was a "wonderful husband."
Burt was eventually acquitted of the most serious charges but convicted of harassment. They went home together, back to their apartment in Queens, as if nothing had happened.
Insights from "Crazy Love"
In 2007, a documentary called Crazy Love brought this story back to the mainstream. Director Dan Klores interviewed both Burt and Linda. Seeing them together is jarring. They bicker like any old married couple.
Linda is sharp-tongued and unsentimental. Burt is still flamboyant and seemingly lacking in genuine remorse, often framing the attack as something "circumstances" forced him into.
Critics like Laura Kern from The New York Times noted that the film captures a relationship built on a "toxic dependency." It’s not a romance; it’s a hostage situation where the roles of victim and victimizer have become completely blurred.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Case
People often think Linda was brainwashed or had "Stockholm Syndrome." While that might be part of it, the reality was more pragmatic. Linda was a woman of her time who felt her "value" had been destroyed. By marrying Burt, she essentially made him pay for the rest of his life.
She lived a comfortable life on his dime. She had someone to take her to the doctor, someone to buy her clothes, and someone who would never leave her because he owed her everything. In a twisted way, she was the one in control for the final 40 years.
Actionable Takeaways from the Pugach Saga
If you’re researching the Linda Riss and Burt Pugach story for a project or out of pure curiosity, here is how to navigate the complex history:
- Watch the Documentary: Crazy Love (2007) is essential. It features direct interviews and archival footage that prose can't fully capture.
- Read the Court Records: For the technical details of the 1959 conspiracy, look into People v. Pugach. It outlines the hire-for-attack scheme in brutal detail.
- Check the Book: Burt and Linda co-wrote A Very Different Love Story in 1976. It’s out of print but worth finding if you want to see how they tried to spin their narrative early on.
- Understand the Legal Impact: The case Riss v. New York is actually a landmark legal case. Linda sued the city for failing to protect her after she reported Burt's threats. The court's ruling—that the police don't have a specific duty to protect individuals unless a "special relationship" exists—is still studied in law schools today.
Linda Riss died in 2013 at age 75. Burt followed in 2020 at age 93. Their story remains one of the most disturbing and inexplicable chapters in American true crime history, proving that sometimes, the truth isn't just stranger than fiction—it's much darker.