Vladimir Bratislav

Case record

Vladimir Bratislav (1976 - ) was known as the Beast of Lysva.

Background

Bratislav served as a serial offender who raped and killed women in Russia over more than a year. He was described as the son of a prosperous working-manager. The account said that he promised a reward for anyone who could provide information about the case.

The account said Bratislav’s brother was a member of the Russian civil army militia. Vladimir sometimes went along when his brother and other policemen searched for the serial killer.

In Lysva, the account described the Poesjkinpark and a local nightclub as places where Bratislav hunted for victims. He looked out for attractive women and called them “whores”.

Psychiatrists in the account thought that Bratislav’s atrocities were fed by a humiliating sexual experience in his teenage years. When he was fourteen, an older woman rejected him, and the account said he “couldn’t maintain an erection; he failed.” The account described this as the cause.

The offence

The account said Bratislav raped and killed 30 women between March 1997 and June 1998.

The account said Bratislav raped and killed victims who “wouldn’t cooperate.” It also said his file recorded that he attempted to murder six women and effectively killed ten women, while Bratislav himself estimated that he murdered more than thirty times.

The account described a pattern in which Bratislav claimed a robbery motive. He said that he only wanted “to rob his victims from their jewelry,” but that he killed them once they saw his face. He claimed he did not sell the jewels because he focused on the distraction of police. He also claimed that he raped and mutilated them “to distract the police,” and removed their eyes “to be certain they’d never recognize him.”

Bratislav was described as having been driven by misogyny in the account. The account said that the only woman who escaped his misogynism was his mother, whom he presented as an example of “an honorable, virtuous woman.” The account included a direct quotation from Bratislav about removing eyes:

"I put out their eyes because they wouldn't stare at me anymore. Is that so weird?"

Investigation

The account described how investigators did not initially suspect a serial killer and considered that assaults might be connected to a drug addict who needed money.

Arrest

The account said Natalya Mezentseva made Bratislav’s catching happen.

On June 10th, 1998, the account said Bratislav attacked Natalya Mezentseva but did not kill her; he took her purse and ran off. Natalya recognized him and called the militia. The account said that when she drove with some police officers around the park, she saw him and that he was arrested.

Trial

Bratislav was sentenced to life in prison.

Sentencing

Bratislav was sentenced to life in prison in 1999.

Outcome

The account said he was serving a life sentence in the prison of Solikamsk in the Urals.

Aftermath

The account said Bratislav said he was lonely and that he did not regret any of his crimes. It also said he had “no feeling” and “any morality.”

Timeline

• March 1997 — Bratislav raped and killed his first victim.
• July 28th, 1997 — Bratislav waited for Elena Lyzhina; he raped her and cut the eye loose from the optic nerve that runs from the eye to the brain; she survived and became permanently blind.
• August 4th, — Bratislav waited for Olga Kosenko when she left Lysva’s nightclub; she was found raped and strangled.
• August 17th, — Bratislav attacked Anna Maraku-lina, who was 18 years old; he raped her and hit her on the head until the girl died.
• Five days later — Bratislav killed Maria Shetsova, who was 17 years old.
• One week later — Bratislav attacked Alvira Kanzeparova as she walked to the club.
• June 10th, 1998 — Bratislav attacked Natalya Mezentseva; instead of killing her, he took her purse and ran off.
• June 1998 — Bratislav was arrested after Natalya identified him and another assault occurred; one of his victims was able to identify him when he let her go.

Other details

Victims named in the account

The account named several victims and described their ages when stated:

• Elena Lyzhina — the account described her as surviving an attack; she was permanently blind after the eye/optic nerve injury on the night of July 28th, 1997.
• Olga Kosenko — the account said she was found raped and strangled on August 4th.
• Anna Maraku-lina — the account said she was 18 years old; the attack on August 17th ended with her death after she was raped and hit on the head.
• Maria Shetsova — the account said she was 17 years old; the account said she was killed after Bratislav overwhelmed and strangled her in the Poesjkinpark.
• Alvira Kanzeparova — the account said Bratislav raped and strangled her and put out her eyes.
• Natalya Mezentseva — the account said Bratislav attacked her on June 10th, 1998; he took her purse and ran off.

Additional named individuals

• Bratislav’s brother — described as a member of the Russian civil army militia.
• A priest — the account said Bratislav went to see a priest after the first murder, but the priest would not listen despite Bratislav regretting the killing.
• Queenie — the account ended with “Written By Queenie home last updates contact” (treated as non-case artefact text).

Method details described in the account

• The account described strangling as part of the attacks.
• The account described biting and chewing on breasts in at least one attack.
• The account described pushing “a wooden stick into her mouth” during the attack on Maria Shetsova.
• The account described that Bratislav cut the eye loose from the optic nerve that runs from the eye to the brain in the attack on Elena Lyzhina.
• The account described putting out eyes in multiple attacks.

Statements included in the account

The account included this quotation from Bratislav about why he put out eyes:

It also included these descriptive quotations attributed to Bratislav’s account of his actions:

• The account said Bratislav claimed he “only wanted to rob his victims from their jewelry,” but killed once they saw his face.
• The account said Bratislav claimed he raped and mutilated them “to distract the police” and removed their eyes “to be certain they'd never recognize him.”