A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee located in the city of Novosibirsk sufficient to pass a sentence over a series of murders of women committed in 1994-2000 in the town of Angarsk, Irkutsk Region by Mikhail Popkov. He was found guilty of crimes under paragraphs “f” and “h” of article 102 of the RSFSR Penal Code, paragraphs “a” and “j” of part 2 of article 105 of the RF Penal Code, part 3 of article 30, paragraph “a” of part 2 of article 105 (murder).
The court and investigators have found that in 1994-2000 women started disappearing from public places in the town of Angarsk in the evenings and at nights. Later their bodies with the signs of violent death were found in Angarsk and Usolsk, Angarsk and Irkutsk districts of Irkutsk Region.
In accordance with the social psychological portrait of the murderer, certain categories of people in Angarsk were checked on involvement in the series of murders. In June 2012, the DNA tests found that local resident Mikhail Popkov, a former operative in the Central district police station in Angarsk, had been involved in the crimes. At first Popkov pleaded guilty to killing only three women. However, the investigators gathered evidence proving that Popkov had a hand in the murders of 22 and attempted murders of 2 women.
During the investigation around 300 different forensic medical tests and over 2.5 thousand DNA tests were run, over 2 thousand witnesses and representatives of the victims were questioned. There are over 200 volumes of criminal records.
The court has sentenced Popkov to life in prison, to be served in a special-security penal colony.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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