In this episode, Ally covers the murder of Anthony “Nino” Puglisi and the abduction of his wife, Debra Puglisi Sharp. On April 20, 1998, Debra was planting roses outside their Newark, Delaware, home when Nino arrived home from work and went inside. When Debra followed him a short time later, an ordinary spring afternoon became the beginning of a nightmare.

Over the next 101 hours, Debra’s family and investigators struggled to understand what had happened while she fought to stay alive. With no idea whether anyone would find her—or what the man holding her planned to do—every decision she made mattered.

What happened inside the Puglisi home, where was Debra taken, and how did she survive five terrifying days in captivity?

Before the case, we’re talking about the death of Hayden Panettiere, her history with addiction, and how an overdose can create ripple effects through families, relationships, workplaces, and entire communities. We also revisit Cory Monteith’s death, the lasting effect it had on Lea Michele and the people around him, and the tragedies associated with what fans have called the “Glee curse.”

Story starts: 7:59

Debra tells the complete story of her captivity, Nino’s murder, and her life after the crime in her memoir, Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence. Learn more and purchase Debra’s book here.

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Sources:

• I Survived: "I Couldn't Understand What Was Bringing My Neighbor To Do This To Me”
• Debra Puglisi Sharp: Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence
• CNN Transcript: Interview With Debra Puglisi Sharp
• The Review: Local Author Celebrates Survival
• The Washington Post: 5 Days of Terror, Then Freedom
• Delaware Superior Court: State v. Flagg
• Delaware Superior Court: Nationwide Insurance Co. v. Flagg