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Former Head of Ramenskoye Urban District Convicted of Murder by Jury in Moscow Oblast

The evidence gathered by the Main Investigative Department of the IC of Russia for Moscow Oblast was found sufficient by the court and the jury for the verdict of guilty and conviction of the former Head of the Ramenskoye Urban District. He was convicted of murder (Part 1, Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

The investigators and the court found that, on the night of 1 May 2019, the official had a fight with his friend in a car and eventually strangled her. He then fled the scene. On 4 May, the car and the body of the victim were found by police officers. The law enforcement analyzed the victim’s inner circle for implication in the crime. In late May, the investigators found that the head of the urban district was involved in the crime, after which he was arrested.

What made the investigation of the criminal case so difficult was the fact that the murder had been committed in non-obvious conditions, the person involved had been the incumbent head of the urban district who by virtue of his office had a certain administrative leverage. Besides, the defense put up fierce resistance to investigators, including via mass media, as they tried to create a biased opinion of and attitude towards investigative actions by means of publications and participation in TV talk shows. During the investigation, the charged offender set out different versions of the crime, which investigators thoroughly examined.

Investigators had a lot of work to determine all facts of the crime, gather and verify evidence. They conducted at least 26 tests, including molecular genetic, technical computer, commission medical, dactyloscopic, situational and other tests. They also had interrogations, a crime re-enactment, psychophysiological studies. They examined billing information, itemization of calls and videos from security cameras. The evidence that they gathered, including expert findings and opinions, implicating the suspect in the crime, laid the foundation for the indictment.

In accordance with the verdict by the jury, the court sentenced the former district head to 9 years and 6 months of imprisonment.