David Sarabashyan

David Armenakovich Sarabashyan (; born 1981), known as the Suvorov Maniac , is a Russian serial killer and rapist who killed five women and teenage girls in the Rostov Oblast from 2000 to 2018, most of them while AWOL from the military. He was later convicted on all counts and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Early life David Armenakovich Sarabashyan was born in the village of Leninavan, Rostov Oblast in 1981, as the older of two brothers from an ethnic Armenian family. The family were well-respected in the area, as Sarabashyan's grandfather was a veteran of the Great Patriotic War and his uncle died on the frontlines during the Soviet–Afghan War. According to former classmates and teachers, Sarabashyan was considered an average student who preferred to keep to himself but displayed great interest in a variety of sports ranging from taekwondo to Greco-Roman wrestling. As a result, he became more withdrawn and upon graduating from school, he quickly enlisted to serve in the Russian Ground Forces.

Murders Serial murders On one night in April 2000, Sarabashyan went AWOL with the intent of going to his house and drinking beer. On the way, he spotted a 27-year-old woman and offered to have a few drinks with her, but was summarily rejected. This changed sometime in 2015, when he randomly attacked a 29-year-old woman, who managed to fend him off and escape. Some passers-by who had heard her screams called the police, who immediately came in and arrested Sarabashyan. While he was released due to the fact that the victim was unable to positively identify him, his fingerprints and personal information were nonetheless entered into the country's criminal database.

Murder of Margarita Kuzminova On the evening of 16 October 2018, 25-year-old Margarita Kuzminova went out of her house in Rostov-on-Don, carrying only her cellphone with her. News sources were conflicting as to the reason why, with some saying that it was for grocery shopping while others claimed it was to meet a friend. After failing to answer several of her mother's calls, her parents reported the event to the police, who decided to try and locate her through her phone. The device's geolocation data showed that it was last active near her parents' home, and after this revelation, hundreds of police officers and local volunteers organized a search for her. Several days later, Kuzminova's body was found in a wasteland outside of town, with indications that she had been raped and strangled.

Arrest, trial and imprisonment For the remainder of the month, investigators worked to solve Kuzminova's murder, interrogating witnesses and investigating any possible suspects. Eventually, a link to Sarabashyan was established via fingerprint evidence from his previous arrest, and he was subsequently brought in for interrogation. Shortly after being brought in, he lost his nerve and readily confessed to the killing. According to him, he was drinking at a bench when he noticed Kuzminova sitting nearby and texting someone on her phone. After making sure that there was nobody around, Sarabashyan sneaked up behind her and wrapped his folded jacket around her face, choking and punching her until she fell into unconsciousness. Upon doing so, he dragged her out of sight to the wasteland, where he raped and strangled her.

While he was initially suspected solely of her murder, Sarabashyan began corresponding frequently with one of the investigators, who eventually led him to confess to the four previous murders. As he provided details that only the real killer would have known, he was subsequently charged with the previous murders as well. As per court procedure, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, which concluded that he was sane but diagnosed as a sexual sadist.

Due to the sheer amount of volumes in the criminal case and the investigation into possible further murders, Sarabashyan's trial was delayed until 2020. At the numerous pre-trial hearings during that time, he repeatedly reiterated his guilt on all charges but also said that he did not regret what he had done. He was eventually put on trial and found guilty on all counts, for which he was given an automatic life sentence. While the verdict was read out, Sarabashyan hid under the hood of his jacket and silently listened, attempting to hide himself from the journalists present in the courtroom. In the aftermath of his conviction, he was transferred to an undisclosed corrective labour colony, where he remains to this day.