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foreign [Music] deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any time you
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need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support please
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see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website as it needs six o'clock on an Autumn
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morning in 1980 theodosius glucarev was jolted awake by the sound of his apartment's doorbell
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he rose from bed and headed to the door no one was there he poked his head into the hallway only
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to find the area empty and quiet theodosius looked down and noticed a dark leather briefcase on the ground in
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front of him curious theodosius laid it on its side unclasped its latches and opened it up
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wedged inside and wrapped in cloth was the head of a woman foreign [Music] staggered back inside his apartment and
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immediately phoned the police officers arrived at the large nine-story building where theodosius lived with his
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wife and a young daughter their apartment was just south of kishinaev the Russian named Capital of
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Moldova which at the time was part of the Soviet Union the officers inspected the briefcase
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that had been left at theodosius's door the decapitated head belonged to a brown-haired woman whose eyes had been
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gouged out theodosius was adamant that he didn't recognize the woman and there was
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nothing else inside the briefcase that hinted at her identity however there was a handwritten note
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addressed to theodosius and scrawled in Block capital letters the note read have you seen the gift this is an
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example for you ready 10 000 rubles saw your daughter will also be headless in the evening you will come to the
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train station and to bring money extortion was rare in Soviet Moldova let alone in such a brutal form
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at the time ten thousand rubles was a large amount of money the equivalent of around 50 000 US dollars in today's
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currency theodosius who worked as a truck driver for a local Brewery was adamant that he
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didn't have access to that kind of money unable to produce the large Ransom in such a short amount of time it was
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impossible for him to meet the Killer's demands given that the killer knew where
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theodosius lived and that he had a daughter it was clear that they knew theodosio since some capacity
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yet theodosius couldn't think of anyone who would carry out such a gruesome Act suspicious that he was hiding something
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police covertly surveilled theodosius the following day discreetly tailed his truck as he drove
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from the brewery and onto the streets of kashinyev where he eventually parked and
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entered a restaurant it was an expensive establishment the kind of place the affluent might dine at
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only once or twice a year for special occasions theodosius didn't stay long certainly
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not enough time for him to eat he soon returned to his truck and drove off as the surveillance continued theodosius
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started behaving erratically it seemed he realized that he was being followed he took several abrupt turns and doubled
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back on his route before speeding through a red light police managed to catch up with him a
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little while later by which point theodosius had resumed going about his business
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he entered a bakery and emerged with a cake in hand he then walked to a nearby apartment
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building which was considered one of kishinyav's most prestigious addresses theodosius disappeared inside for some
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time before reappearing without the cake later that day he purchased a bouquet of
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flowers and visited another high-end apartment building on an adjacent Street once again he stayed inside briefly
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before exiting empty-handed he then made his way home he admitted to driving erratically after
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realizing he was being pursued but explained this was because he thought he was being trailed by the Killer
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police put it to theodosius that his job as a truck driver was really just a front for some kind of black market
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trading he denied being involved in anything illegal but eventually confessed that
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his visits to the two apartments were for clandestine meetings theodosius had been calling in on his
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girlfriends neither of his girlfriends knew about the other nor were they aware that
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theodosius was married with a child although he wasn't a particularly remarkable or wealthy man theodosius Was
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a Serial womanizer who often bragged to his friends about his extramarital affairs
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investigators were satisfied that theodosius wasn't part of any underworld scheming but had been targeted for some
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other specific reason they considered the possibility that the severed head might have belonged to one
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of his girlfriends perhaps the woman's husband had found out about the affair and taken Revenge
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theodosius claimed that his girlfriends were both alive and well and it was quickly confirmed that he was telling
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the truth both of his girlfriends attended the police station for questioning but
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neither recognized the face of the woman from the briefcase this sent investigators back to square
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one unable to figure out why theodosius was being extorted they worked to identify
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the victim perhaps if they knew who she was her connection to theodosius would become
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clear after exhausting all other avenues investigators sought permission from their country's leadership to employ a
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tactic that had never been used in the Soviet Union before they asked to show a photograph of the
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woman's head on National Television in the hope that someone would recognize her face
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their request was granted with as much care as possible the woman's face was cleaned to be
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presentable to the public her hair was neatly combed down and pinned behind her head
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glass spheres were inserted into her empty eye sockets and her eyelids were closed over them
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a photograph was taken and broadcast on National Television across Soviet Moldova
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although a white scarf tied beneath her chin concealed her severed neck it was obvious to most that she was deceased
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that night seven-year-old Victor trassen sat in front of his family's television
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set eyes glued to a rerun of a popular Soviet musical miniseries dartanyan and the Three Musketeers
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Victor lived with his mother and Aileen grandmother in an apartment in kashinyev
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his grandmother was content to let Victor enjoy the swashbuckling action on screen as the young boy had recently
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been overcome with anxiety and the program provided a much-needed distraction a few nights earlier Victor's mother
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Arena had left home to catch up with a friend she said that she would only be gone for
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30 minutes but by the time Victor awoke the next morning she still hadn't returned
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Victor took himself to school and later made dinner for himself and his grandmother
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he kept this up all the while bombarding his grandmother with questions about his
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mother's whereabouts but she couldn't give him any answers Victor's concerns for arena grew until
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he parked himself in front of the television one night for a mental reprieve all of a sudden datanyan and the Three
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Musketeers was interrupted by a special News Bulletin a photograph of a woman appeared on
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screen Victor immediately recognized the woman as his mother Arena he was confused as to why she was on
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television but excited that he would finally see her again he wrote down the number on the screen
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and called it first thing the following morning investigators could now identify the
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mutilated woman as Arena trasen but they still had no idea why she had been targeted
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theodosius glucarev claimed he didn't know Arena and there was no evidence to suggest the pair had ever crossed paths
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as investigators tried to determine why Arena was murdered as part of an extortion plot against a stranger they
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received a phone call another package had just arrived at theodosius's front door
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[Music] the package wasn't in a briefcase this time but wrapped in paper again it was accompanied by a
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handwritten note addressed to theodosius in the same block capital letters as the
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first this one red you still don't want to pay then kiss a woman's hand inside the package was the severed hand
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of a woman forensic analysis confirmed it did not belong to Arena thrashen a second woman had been killed and once
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again the police were left with no clues as to this victim's identity the note continued
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in three days you will bring the money to the train station otherwise we will chop your daughter to
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pieces the note hadn't referred to theodosius's daughter by her name Oksana but this was
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the second direct threat against her two days later Oksana was making her way home from school
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just as she reached to the entrance to her family's apartment block a man approached and offered her some candy
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all of a sudden two other men who had been a short distance behind Oksana leapt into action
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they ran up to the man grabbed him and wrestled him to the ground the pair were undercover police officers
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tasked with protecting Oxana the young girl shouted at the police officers let Uncle Sasha go he's good
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realizing the man was known to Oxana the officers backed off while he wasn't technically her uncle he
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was a close friend of her family as a precaution the police thoroughly looked into Uncle Sasha
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they discovered that he worked at the local confectionary Factory which explained why he had candy on hand
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a married father Uncle Sasha had received a government award for his hard work and commitment to the Soviet Union
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with no criminal record or anything else to highlight him as dangerous he was ruled out as being the killer who was
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extorting theodosius foreign unable to pin down a suspect police realized that theodosius would have to
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meet the Killer's demands in order to flush him out three nights after receiving the severed
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hand theodosius presented himself at the kishinyev train station he carried a briefcase containing 10 000
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rubles the money had been hastily gathered by the ministry of internal affairs to
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facilitate the requested Handover dozens of undercover police officers inconspicuously milled about the station
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keeping a close eye on anyone who Moved close to theodosius given the second Ransom letter had
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contained the pronoun we police were mindful that multiple perpetrators could be involved and could also be watching
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this situation unfold suddenly a lone man approached theodosius the officers observed intently waiting
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to make their move the man was holding a cigarette and he asked theodosius for a light
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he then continued on his way he was not the man they were expecting several hours passed until it became
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abundantly clear the exchange wasn't going to take place either the killer never showed up or
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they had realized it was a setup believing they were dealing with a quote bloodthirsty Maniac police had to act
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quickly to prevent more women from being murdered and mutilated wild rumors were spreading with some
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claiming the mutilations were the act of necromancer Sorcerers who were digging up Graves
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others feared that an unidentified serial killer known as metal Fang had arrived in kishinyev to continue his
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spray some turned their suspicions towards theodosius glucarev himself word was circulating that he had
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recently cut tires with a Criminal group who were Now using their extortions as a
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method of intimidation with all these leads and more having reached dead ends investigators
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Revisited the evidence beginning with the two extortion letters something was niggling at one particular
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investigator as he agonized over each word of the letters the realization suddenly dawned
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in both nodes the author had referred to theodosius by his nickname fedos upon further questioning theodosius
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revealed that he didn't like his full name and would generally ask colleagues and Associates to call him Fedor for
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short in turn close friends and family took to calling him Thanos realizing the killer was amongst
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theodosius's immediate circle investigators narrowed down the list of suspects until just one person remained
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ha a few years earlier Dimitri kazinsev was enjoying his wedding reception when he
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realized his new wife wasn't by his side he searched the venue and eventually found her in a compromising position
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with another man the man was Dimitri's second cousin theodosius glucarev enraged Dimitri chased theodosius with a
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knife threatening to kill him other guests disarmed Dimitri and tied him down before he could inflict any
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injuries as theodose use was led from the party Dimitri shouted that he would find him
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and cut him investigators explored Dimitri's background and discovered that he was
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already on the radar of the Soviet Financial police having been suspected of the theft and illegal sale of rare
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Soviet property he also worked as a dining car manager for Soviet Railways which was
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significant given the killer had named the kishinyev train station as the extortion money drop side
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undercover officers boarded Dimitri's train in order to confront him 1. disguised as a railway inspector
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spotted Dimitri and called him by name sensing he was in trouble Dimitri jumped from the train and ran
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the chase was short-lived as Dimitri tripped over the tracks and was swiftly apprehended
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Dimitri denied any wrongdoing but when he learned he was Under Suspicion for murder and extortion he quickly
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confessed to the crimes against Soviet property he vehemently denied having anything to
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do with the murders with a little bit more digging police were able to verify that Dimitri was
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telling them the truth he was a criminal but he was not the killer they were looking for
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the sun had just set his university student Olga labadeva stood alone in kashinyev's Central Park waiting for her
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date several months prior Olga had responded to a personal ad in the local newspaper
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and had been corresponding with the man ever since this was the first time they were going
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to meet in person Olga's date soon approached carrying a bouquet of flowers he handed them to her and immediately
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apologized saying he couldn't stay for their date as some important business had just come up
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he then turned around and hurried away confused Olga decided to head home as she walked through the park along a
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tree-lined path she heard someone approaching from behind Olga quickened her pace
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so did the person behind her suddenly Olga was jerked backwards and thrown to the ground
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a man stood over her before pulling her into some bushes nearby he wrapped a hand around the Olga's neck
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and squeezed using his other hand to hold up a knife as Olga fought for her life the contents
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of her bag spilled onto the ground she grabbed at the nearest item her hairbrush and it jammed it as hard as
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she could into the man's groin he released his grip dropped his knife and gripped his crotch as he curled over
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in pain Olga scrambled to her fate as she rushed back onto the footpath her attacker yelled out
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I will catch up with you creature and I will cut you into pieces Olga ran as fast as she could ride into
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the path of someone who had slipped away from a birthday party early to head home
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they took her to the police station where the officer on duty was intrigued to learn that Olga's attacker had
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threatened to cut her into pieces police across the city had been briefed about the unidentified killer who had
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been sending mutilated remains to theodosius glucarev the officer was aware that in one of the
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nodes the perpetrator had used the phrase We Will chop your daughter to pieces believing Olga had survived an encounter
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with the killer hundreds of police officers descended on kishinyev's Central Park to scour the area for Clues
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they soon Came Upon a plot of freshly Disturbed Earth the area was dug up revealing a shallow
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grave containing the body of a young woman her shirt was torn open and her trousers
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and underwear were pulled below her knees there were multiple stub wounds to her
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chest and around her genitals most significantly her head was missing police had just uncovered the body of
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Arena trasen now they were absolutely certain that the same men who attacked Olga labadeva
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had killed Arena and that he had used the expansive Parklands as his hunting ground
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Olga struggled to recall much about her ordeal as it was dark and happened quickly but something about her
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assailant seemed familiar she was certain it was the same man she had met for a date 30 minutes earlier
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Olga explained that she had been corresponding with this man for some time investigators asked if she had kept any
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of the letters lucky for them she had kept them all each of the letters were handwritten and
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had been signed off with the sender's name Alexander skrinic the police was stunned
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they knew screenik across most eastern European countries the name Alexander is commonly shortened
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to Sasha Alexander skrinic was Uncle Sasha the man who had approached theodosius's
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daughter with candy weeks earlier a background check of skrinic had ruled him out as a suspect but now
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investigators were certain he was the killer they'd been looking for they just needed to find some compelling
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evidence to prove it [Music] no viable forensics had been found on Arena thrason's head or body nor on the
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unidentified severed hand left at theodosius's door this just left the extortion notes and
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the letters to Olga a handwriting expert was brought in but when he looked at the samples he
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Shrugged the extortion notes had been printed in Block capitals whereas the letters were
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in screenix cursive handwriting it wasn't possible to conclusively compare the two
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meanwhile Alexander skrinic was called to attend the military registration and enlistment office
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at 27 years of age skrinic was still subject to Soviet conscription until his next birthday
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[Music] he arrived promptly at the military office and was shown into an adjacent
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room he along with about 20 other con scripts filled in the necessary paperwork afterwards they were told that a
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military representative would be in touch soon Alexander skrinic then left the building
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[Music] unbeknownst to skrinic the entire registration process was a setup by police as a way to obtain his
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handwriting the call the staff and the other conscripts had all been staged the military registration papers were
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required to be completed in Block capital letters as soon as krennic left the registration
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papers were given to the handwriting expert who was waiting behind the scenes within half an hour the expert
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unequivocally concluded that the block letters in screenix registration form were an exact match to those in the two
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extortion notes sent to theodosius that evening police arrived at Alexander Skrillex apartment only to be told by
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scrennick's wife that her husband had just left to see a movie a contingent of plain clothes police
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officers quickly descended on the Patria Cinema in central kishinaev the film that was about to be shown was
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a Soviet disaster film called air crew which depicted the story of a Plane full of passengers trying to take off during
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an earthquake air crew had debuted earlier in 1980 but due to its popularity it was being
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re-screened to a sold-out audience police searched for screening amongst the throng of Cinema goa's Milling
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outside the building and inside the foyer waiting for the movie to start eventually they spotted skrinic
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he was approaching the cinema accompanied by a young woman one quick thinking detective approached
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the Kabul he explained that the film was sold out but he had two tickets he was willing to
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sell skrinic was interested the detective suggested that they walk around the side of the building where it
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was much quieter in order to make the exchange and the young woman happily accompanied
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the detective once they were away from the crowd other officers converged on skrinic and placed
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him under arrest at the police station Alexander skrinic remained indignant he denied having done anything wrong and
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pointed to his government labor award and membership of the Soviet Communist party has proof of his good character
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and innocence however once investigators revealed the ruse at the enlistment office and the
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handwriting analysis evidence they had against him skrinic abandoned his charade
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skrinic then made a surprise confession Arena thrassen was not his first murder victim
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several years earlier in the mid-1970s he had been living and working in yakutia a sparsely populated Soviet
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region in the Far East of Russia there skrinic met and murdered a flight attendant named Nina puganova
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after killing Nina skrinic removed her breasts and genitals before dumping her body
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The Remains were later discovered however authorities at the time were unable to solve Nina's murder
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disclosed that he had stabbed Arena thrashen to death after meeting her for ice cream at the park where her body was
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later found he decapitated Arena post-mortem kept her head before burying her body in a
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shallow grave screeny's third and final victim was a woman named Anastasia mikhailova
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like Arena before her scrinik had met Anastasia for ice cream before stabbing her to death and mutilating her body
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this time skrinic had kept Anastasia's severed hand as a souvenir having already discovered Arena's
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headless body police probed screening for the whereabouts of anastasias remains screening said that Anastasia was buried
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in a different Park and offered to take them to the exact location the following day he escorted
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investigators to an area of Woodland he pointed to the exact location where officers should start digging
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sure enough about a foot below the surface police uncovered the remains of Anastasia mikalova who was missing a
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hand investigators had everything they needed from Alexander skrinic a full confession
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to the murders and Anastasia's remains what they now wanted was Skrillex motive for these brutal slangs
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scrinik explained that about a year into his marriage after his son was born he was dissatisfied with his life
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specifically skrinic wanted more sex he placed a personal ad in the local newspaper with the intention of
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attracting a woman who would be willing to sleep with him eventually skrinic met up with a woman
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who responded to his ad and the two had sex as a result screening contracted a venereal disease
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this instigated screenix hatred towards women who he now blamed for his unhappy marriage and the lack of sex to which he
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felt entitled skrinic appointed himself as a quote orderly of Nature and decided that it
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was his calling to destroy women as to why he extorted his friend theodosius glucarev skrinic simply
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explained that he was jealous of theodosius who boasted of his active sex life into multiple extramarital affairs
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his intention was to quote let this womanizer shake with fear and at the same time Fork out
00:31:38
[Music] a few months after his arrest Alexander skrinik stood trial for the murders of
00:31:45
Nina puganova Arena thrazen and Anastasia mikalova at the start of his testimony he boasted
00:31:54
that anyone with a weak disposition should leave the room then recited his crimes without any hint
00:32:02
of remorse he told the court that he enjoyed murdering the three women and that if he
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hadn't been caught he would still be killing the three judges of the Supreme Court
00:32:15
found skrinic guilty of all charges and sentenced him to death in 1981 Alexander skrinic attended his
00:32:25
date with the firing squad foreign [Music] foreign [Music]