Russian authorities have busted a man suspected for the murder of dozens of older women in many regions across Mid-Russia nearly ten years ago.
Named by some media outlets as the “Volga maniac” or the “Povolzhsky strangler,” the offender has been linked to homicides of dozens of women. The state media and Russian authorities previously reported that most of the women were choked to death in 2012-2013 and their apartments were later robbed.
Russia’s Investigative Committee connected the suspect to 27 murders and recognized him as a 38-year-old man from Kazan, who formerly served time for theft, as stated on Tuesday.
The offender posed as a maintenance worker or social services representative to gain the trust of his victims, women who are retired aged between 75 and 90 and lived alone, as stated by Russian Interior Ministry (RIM).
The killer confessed following his arrest and said he attacked his victim because he was feeling hungry and “lived on the road,” according to the Interior Ministry.
(I’ve selected the victims) accidentally, I observed them near the shops, near the markets, (they would come outside) with bags and I’d walk them to their home,” the offender said in the video posted by the Russian Interior Ministry.
“Occasionally they invited me in, at times I talked them into it…and then I choked them from the back and held them until they fell asleep.”
He would also often take jewels, money and valuables from the homes of the victims, police said.
The killer was recognized through shoe prints and DNA evidence from the crime scenes. The killings were carried out in 12 different cities, and the count of victims connected to Radik could rise, investigators said. Radik did not tell the number of murders he committed.
