Sergey Martynov

Background

Sergey Martynov (also spelled as Sergei Martynov, born in 1962) was suspected of committing serial killings. He was described as homeless.

The offence

Between 2005 and 2010, Sergey Martynov was accused of killing eight women in at least ten regions of Russia. Prosecutors said that his victims were mostly women and included two minor girls. Prosecutors said that in respect of one of the two minor girls, Martynov committed violent sexual actions and that he inflicted serious harm to the other.

Among the allegations were acts involving a knife, scalpel, and other objects at hand, and actions described as “sexual violence”. The court found that the crimes included infliction of grave injuries and “sexual violence” against an 8-year girl.

The court found that Martynov murdered eight people in ten regions of Russia, from Vladimir Region to Yekaterinburg.

Martynov’s motive was described in court findings as personal dislike and wishing, as he claimed, to spare the world of useless people. Prosecutors said that Martynov acted “daringly and cynically” and left letters at crime scenes while making no effort to conceal evidence.

In relation to how he targeted people, investigators described a pattern in which he got acquainted with a heavily drinking and, in many cases, homeless woman. During a joint drunken feast, his companion somehow irritated him, for example by becoming rude or obtrusive, and Martynov then attacked her with a knife. The account also described that in some cases he cut out internals or pieces of skin.

Prosecutors said that the circumstances of the crimes were in many ways domestic, stating that he “killed mainly not on sexual motives, but on personal dislike.”

The court also addressed earlier conduct. It was said that Martynov slashed a 17-year-old girl’s face with a razor blade in Kemerovo in 2005, and that the victim stayed alive but a scar remained.

Sergey Martynov was described as having been detained after attacking a girl “on a hot scent,” with his guilt practically proved, but he disappeared after the court let him free under a written undertaking not to leave the place.

The court described Martynov’s last murder as occurring near Voronezh in September 2010, involving strangling a homeless woman with his belt.

The court also stated that one of the crimes in 2010 involved killing a 70-year-old woman named Tamara Sadikova in Ufa.

It was alleged that Martynov abused an 8-year-old girl whose father had hired Martynov to repair a roof in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

Investigation

On 23 May 2012, Russian prosecutors for the first time publicly disclosed details about the case. Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin described the accused’s alleged victims and conduct.

Martynov was said to leave letters at crime scenes, including a note “for cops”. Investigators described two letters as follows: one addressed to police and another addressed to the victim’s son.

The letters included the wording: “for cops”, where he said that he was not afraid of them, and for the victim’s son where he called him “a nice man” and said he had saved him from a burden represented by his heavily drinking mother.

A forensic expert examination confirmed Martynov’s complete sanity and noted “his thirst for dominating over others combined with general irritability.”

The MoscowNews.com account described that in connection with a recent slaying in Ufa, suspect Sergei Martynov left three notes for the cops. One note read: “You’re rubbish. You’ll never find me anyway!”

The report said that the other two notes had not been published.

Arrest

Martynov moved around Russia by hitchhiking, and investigators said he could easily find fellow travelers and work thanks to his frail build and the fact that he was described as a quiet, polite person with skills of an electrician and a shiftmen.

He was detained in 2010 in an unfinished hotel near café Dzhambul located near one of large highways in the Voronezh Region, where he was working as an electrician.

He was also described as having been on a wanted list shortly after his release for attacking a young girl in Kemerovo, and as having evaded police for years.

Trial

September 2010 and trial context

It was said that in September 2010 he committed his last murder, strangling a homeless woman with his belt, not far from Voronezh.

In September 2010, the accused was on trial in Voronezh, as described in the account.

Charges

Martynov faced charges including intentional infliction of a grave injury, hooliganism, murder of two or more persons, and violent sexual actions. The accounts also referred to murder and sexual assault charges and other crimes including grievous harm and disorderly conduct.

Quotes

Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin stated:

“Martynov’s crimes, - says official spokesman to the Russia’s Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin, - were notable for their special cynicism, he committed outrages upon many of the bodies”.

Prosecutor’s office commentary included:

“He killed mainly not on sexual motives, but on personal dislike. That means that the circumstances of the crimes were in many ways domestic”.

RIA Novosti quoted Vladimir Markin:

“Martynov’s victims were mostly women and two young girls, in respect of one of them Martynov committed a sexual assault and he caused serious harm to another,” Markin said.

RIA Novosti also reported:

“Martynov had already served 14 years for a murder involving rape in 1992. After being released, he began to kill again.”

BNO News quoted Vladimir Markin:

“[The] absolute majority of Martynov's victims were women, as well as two minor girls, against one of which Martynov had committed violent sexual actions and inflicted grave injuries to another.”

BNO News quoted Vladimir Markin on conduct:

"Acting daringly and cynically, he didn't try to conceal evidence and even left letters at crime scenes, [and he] expertly hid from law enforcement officials until [he] was caught in 2010," said Markin.

The MoscowNews.com note included:

“You’re rubbish. You’ll never find me anyway!”

Sentencing

A Voronezh Region court sentenced Sergey Martynov to life in prison. The account stated that the court agreed with the prosecution and found that the criminal, using a knife, scalpel and other objects at hand, slaughtered eight people in ten regions of Russia.

The court recognized Martynov as a homeless person and a twice former convict. The sentencing also reflected a finding that Martynov committed eight murders in ten regions of the Russian Federation, from Vladimir Region to Yekaterinburg.

The regional court found Martynov guilty of eight deaths, infliction of grave injuries, and “sexual violence” against an 8-year girl and sentenced him to life-long imprisonment.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Sergey Martynov was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 10, 2012.

Aftermath

The prosecutor disclosures were made publicly on 23 May 2012. The case was forwarded for procedural steps to be approved and then sent in court to be considered on merits, as described in the account.

Other details

1992 conviction and release

It was stated that in 1992 Martynov was arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering an unidentified woman. He was convicted and served nearly 14 years in prison. He was released in 2005.

It was also stated that he had been sentenced to 15 years and had been granted a parole for a murder of a minor aggravated by rape committed in 1992 in Abakan.

Kemerovo 2005 attack and subsequent disappearance

In 2005, after release from prison, Martynov allegedly attacked a 17-year-old girl in Kemerovo. He slashed the girl’s face with a razor blade, leaving a scar. The victim stayed alive.

He was detained after the attack “on a hot scent,” and his guilt was practically proved. The court let him free under a written undertaking not to leave the place, and he disappeared.

Wanted list

He was placed on a wanted list by police shortly after the attack in Kemerovo.

Nizhny Novgorod Region and the 8-year-old girl

Investigators said that Martynov abused an 8-year-old girl in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, where her father had hired Martynov to repair a roof.

Victims and locations referenced

The allegations referenced killings across at least ten regions of Russia, described as from Vladimir Region to Yekaterinburg. Specific locations referenced included Kemerovo, Abakan, Ufa, and Voronezh.

One victim was described as a 70-year-old woman named Tamara Sadikova in Ufa.

Another victim was described as a homeless woman strangled with his belt near Voronezh in September 2010.

Descriptions of demeanor and appearance

An account said that Martynov was distinguished by tattoos and missing fingers. Another account said forensic experts concluded he was perfectly aware of his actions and noted his thirst for dominating over others combined with general irritability.

He was described as a quiet, polite person with skills of an electrician and a shiftmen.

Time of disclosure and separate reporting

On 23 May 2012, Russian prosecutors disclosed details about the case for the first time publicly. Other accounts dated to 23 May 2012 described him as facing potential life imprisonment if convicted.

A report dated 12 November 2012 described the sentencing by the Voronezh Region court.

A report dated August 31, 2010 described police searching for a serial murderer who taunted them with insulting messages left at his crime scenes. The report described him as suspect Sergei Martynov, 48, and said he left three notes for the cops in connection with a recent slaying in Ufa.