Mikhail “Werewolf” Popkov, Russia’s most notorious serial killer, received an additional ten-year prison sentence after being found guilty of murdering two more women. This latest conviction raises his confirmed victim count to a staggering 92. The 61-year-old former police officer was already serving two life sentences along with an extra 19 years for his extensive killing spree, which lasted from 1992 to 2011.
The recent sentencing occurred in an Irkutsk court, where Popkov was convicted for the 2008 killings of two 27-year-old friends. The women were strangled near the Angarsk Electromechanical Plant. Initially, their bodies were discovered in a forest off the M-53 highway, but the perpetrator was not identified until Popkov’s confession. During a chilling reenactment of the crime, he admitted to murdering both women after they rejected his advances.
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, Popkov recounted how he approached the women, stating, “While one of the women was sitting in the defendant’s car, he slipped a rope around the neck of her friend, who was outside, and tightened it.” After ensuring the first victim was deceased, he returned to the vehicle to kill the second woman in the same manner.
Details of a Gruesome History
Popkov’s criminal activities predominantly took place in Angarsk, a city located in Siberia, approximately 2,400 miles from the Primorsky region where his earlier murders were committed. After leaving the police force, he operated a used car business in Vladivostok while continuing his spree. His victims, primarily solitary women aged between 18 and 50, were lured under false pretenses, often receiving late-night rides in his patrol car.
With a sadistic pattern, he sexually assaulted many victims before killing them with axes, knives, hammers, and other weapons. Popkov’s justification for his actions stemmed from a distorted belief that he was cleansing society of “prostitutes” who he perceived as abandoning their families for nightlife. He once stated in court, “They abandoned their husbands and children at home and went out to party as if it was the last day on earth.”
Psychiatrists have diagnosed Popkov with homicidal mania, a condition characterized by an irrational desire to kill. Despite this diagnosis, he was deemed mentally competent to stand trial.
Unraveling the Motives
In a disturbing twist, speculation suggests that Popkov’s violent outburst may have been fueled by personal issues, including a suspected affair his wife had with a colleague. Alexey Mulyavin, who confirmed the brief relationship with Elena Popkov, stated, “He did not catch us red-handed, but he learned about it.” Popkov himself acknowledged that discovering used condoms at home led him to accuse his wife of infidelity, claiming, “This was the impetus for my future.”
Russia has maintained a moratorium on capital punishment since 1996, and although discussions about reinstating the death penalty have emerged under President Vladimir Putin, no formal steps have been taken yet. Historically, condemned inmates faced execution by gunshot.
The horror of Popkov’s crimes is compounded by the disturbing footage from family home videos, which shows him in the 1990s wielding a knife while reciting a children’s rhyme inspired by Nazi war crimes. This chilling glimpse into his psyche raises questions about the factors that drove him to commit such heinous acts.
With Popkov’s latest conviction, authorities continue to investigate the full extent of his crimes. Experts believe the actual number of victims could be “closer to 200,” indicating that this case may not be fully resolved. As the legal proceedings unfold, the legacy of Mikhail Popkov remains a haunting chapter in Russia’s criminal history.
