Vladmir Romanov

Background

Vladimir Romanov was a resident of the Russian exclave in the Baltic Region and a resident of the Kaliningrad Region. He worked as an independent taxi driver and later as a private taxi driver. He was known as a serial killer who terrified the region for five years and was described as looking for his victims, teenage girls, in solitary places of the city in the evening time. He had previously served a prison term for raping a young girl and had a criminal record before for raping an underage girl.

Romanov was charged with murder of at least 10 girls and young women. He was also described as having committed nine sex crimes in Russia’s Kaliningrad region.

The offence

Romanov was suspected of a series of murders between 2001 and 2005. At least 10 girls and young women, aged 11–20, were found dead in four districts of the region. Another account stated he killed nine underage girls and was arrested at the end of September of that year.

An investigator of the local police department said that Vladimir Romanov’s last victim survived after the killer hit her with a hammer on the head. The girl escaped and memorized the number of his car. Another account stated that Romanov was originally accused of killing six girls between 12 and 18 years of age, and that the list of victims was extended with five more names on October 3.

After Romanov’s suicide, prosecutors stated he had committed nine sex crimes in total.

Investigation

A prosecutor’s office spokesman said that Vladimir Romanov, 56, accused of killing 10 girls, committed suicide in the pre-trial detention center. The spokesman also said that Romanov had already attempted suicide even before prosecutors filed charges against him and that prison officials were instructed to monitor him closely.

Kaliningrad prosecutors launched a probe into the circumstances of the suicide.

Arrest

Vladimir Romanov was arrested in September on suspicion of committing a series of murders between 2001 and 2005. He was arrested at the end of September of that year.

The suspected killer was arrested on a tip from the father of one of his victims, who managed to escape. The girl who escaped memorized the number of his car.

Trial

Romanov was accused of killing multiple underage girls, and criminal charges were officially brought against him this week. The material also stated that the criminal charges have been officially brought against Vladimir Romanov this week.

Sentencing

No sentencing took place because Romanov died before further proceedings were described.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Vladimir Romanov committed suicide in a pre-trial detention center on October 11, 2006. He hanged himself late last night, October 11, in a solitary cell. Another account stated he made a rope of a bed sheet and killed himself on October 11.

A prosecutor’s office spokesman stated:

"Vladimir Romanov, 56, accused of killing 10 girls, committed suicide in the pre-trial detention center," a prosecutor's office spokesman said. "He hanged himself late last night, October 11, in a solitary cell."

A spokeswoman for the regional Office of the Public Prosecutor, Galina Biryukova, stated:

"Vladimir Romanov, a man who committed nine sex crimes in Russia’s Kaliningrad region, hanged himself in a prison cell on a bed sheet."

Aftermath

The accounts continued to refer to Romanov as having committed nine sex crimes in total after his suicide, despite earlier accusations that included killing at least 10 girls and young women and an extended list of five more names added on October 3.