The investigating bodies of Moscow Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee have finished investigating a criminal case against Stepan Goncharik. He is charged with a crime under paragraphs “a” and “h” of part 2 of article 105 of the RF Penal Code (murder of two or more persons out of mercenary motives).

In 2008, Stepan Goncharik, a citizen of Belorussia, married Yevgenia Silina, who lived with her daughter Yekaterina Silina, a journalist. Later he decided to have their flat, assuming that he was the sole hair and after their death would be able to get the right of ownership on their flat. Goncharik tried to deceive law enforcement by staging a disappearance of mother and daughter. According to his plan, the Silins were to be killed at night of 20 June 2010 and he had bought the train tickets to Saint-Petersburg beforehand for Yevgenia. On the day of murder Goncharik’s plans were disturbed as Yekaterina Silina had not come home. He strangled his wife and hid her body in the woods, as was planned. He killed her underage daughter in January 2011.

During the investigation the specialists have run more than 50 expert examinations, a lot of questionings and other investigating operations. According to the results of out-patient and comprehensive in-patient psychological and psychiatric expert examinations Goncharik was ruled sane.

The investigators have gathered enough evidence, therefore the criminal case has been sent for the indictment to be approved and then to the court to be tried on the merits.