Snapped - Season 32 episode 25 - A detailed case overview about Amber Burch's crime

On Snapped season 32 episode 25, titled Amber Burch, viewers are pulled into a true-crime saga in Clemmons, North Carolina.

The two missing men, Tommy Welch and Joshua Wetzler, were the focus of ominous gossip about a satanic couple and a hellish home. As law enforcement continued to dig into the case, evidence turned up indicating more than unexplained disappearances– bodies were perhaps buried in the backyard.

The case is told through reenactments and interviews and reveals how Amber Burch and her boyfriend, Pazuzu Algarad, were made suspects in the double disappearance.

This tale reveals the power dynamics of influence, fear, and devotion, leading to a dark find that turns everything around. The Snapped episode is re-airing on Oxygen on September 1, 2025, with another opportunity for interested viewers to catch up on this haunting telling.

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Case background and investigation of the Amber Burch crimes

Snapped season 32 episode 25 (Representative image via Unsplash/ @ Michael Förtsch)

The case began when two local men, Tommy Welch and Joshua Wetzler, vanished in the quiet village of Clemmons, North Carolina.

Initial suspicions arose amid swirling rumors of a devil-worshipping couple residing at a peculiar home. Investigators soon focused on Amber Burch and her partner, Pazuzu Algarad, known for strange rituals and eerie behavior. Early police efforts stalled due to a lack of evidence, leaving the family and community anxiously awaiting answers.

In 2009, Welch was reported missing, but charges were not pursued at the time. The investigation stalled until 2014, when a friend of Algarad, Matthew Flowers, returned from deployment and was told by his girlfriend, Dixie Ross, that she had witnessed Welch's body at the couple’s home. Ross’s detailed 13-page statement, paired with photographs of the body and gravesite, provided law enforcement with solid leads.

A new search warrant was issued, and authorities recovered the remains of both Welch and Wetzler buried in the backyard. This breakthrough re-ignited investigative momentum and shifted the case toward criminal prosecution, as per Oxygen.

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Motive, influence, and behavior

Amber was a devil worshipper (Image via Unsplash/ @ Erik Mclean)

Amber Burch’s involvement appeared deeply intertwined with Pazuzu Algarad's influence. A friend described her as “almost just a female extension of Pazuzu... She was his queen, he was her king” on the Oxygen episode. Some accounts said the couple drank each other’s blood and embraced dark rituals, reinforcing a disturbing dynamic.

Investigators and forensic psychologists interpreted Burch’s actions under Algarad’s influence, portraying a pattern of coercion, fear, or shared ideology. A forensic psychologist on the case noted traits of anti-social or psychopathic behavior, suggesting Burch willingly participated in criminal acts encouraged by Algarad, as per Oxygen.

The missing men’s disappearances aligned with this twisted bond: it was reported that Amber “took it upon herself … to shoot him” (referring to Welch), indicating she acted decisively, possibly to prove loyalty or dominance within the pair, according to Oxygen.

The couple’s home, laden with rumors and alleged rituals, casted a shadow over motive. It suggested ideological devotion, control, or manipulation more than conventional incentives like money.

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Legal proceedings and outcomes

Amber Burch was convicted of second-degree murder (Image via Unsplash/ @ Tim Photoguy)

Once the bodies were finally uncovered in the backyard, legal proceedings began. Amber Burch pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including second-degree murder in Welch’s death. She received a sentence of 30 to 40 years in prison. She is scheduled for release in May 2045, as per Oxygen.

Pazuzu Algarad never stood trial. While incarcerated, he died by suicide on October 28, 2015.

No charges were filed against Algarad’s mother, Cynthia James, despite her living in the home. She was never formally accused. The house itself was eventually demolished, as community members described it as irredeemably tainted by the crimes that took place there.

In the aftermath, survivors and relatives expressed lingering trauma. Josh Wetzler’s mother hoped Algarad “burned in hell," reflecting the lingering emotional impact. The severity of the sentence and the tragic outcomes underscored the gravity of the crimes and the relief some felt at the final resolution, according to Oxygen.

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Watch the to-be re-aired Snapped season 32 episode 25 on September 1, 2025, on Oxygen.