Beast: Mikhail Popkov killed 22 women but may have murdered
many more
A serial killer nicknamed
‘The Werewolf’ who murdered 22 women in a chilling campaign of terror could be
responsible for DOZENS more brutal deaths, it has been revealed.
Mikhail
Popkov sliced the head of one of his victims and carved the heart out
of another during a twisted series of murders in Russia.
The 50-year-old beast was jailed for life earlier this year
for the killings, but up to 39 additional murder cases are being investigated -
including 11 on which he already faces charges, according to reports in
Siberia.
The married father of one, a former policeman, is said to be
co-operating with police amid new disclosures that his reign of terror was
sparked by his suspicions that his wife had cheated on him in his own home.
"If he is eventually convicted of such a number, his
murder spree would exceed his idol, Soviet-era Andrei Chikatilo, aka the
Butcher of Rostov, who was convicted of 53 murders, and the more recent Moscow
maniac Alexander Pichushkin, known as the Chessboard Killer, who killed
49," reported The Siberian Times.
Butcher: Popkov with his wife Elena, who previously told how
she still loves the beast
One Russian newspaper claimed: "Almost every day a new
crime is added to his 'track record’."
Another cited police sources indicating that his total death
toll could be 61.
Cruel Popkov gave lifts in his police cars to many of his
victims, who he then murdered with axes, knives or screwdrivers.
He brutally raped most of the women he killed, while
claiming he wanted to "cleanse" the streets of his city of Angarsk of
prostitutes, his earlier court hearing was told.
Until now, it was thought he stopped killing around the year
2000, a dozen years before his arrest, after he claimed to have lost his sexual
potency.
Now police fear he did not halt his murderous spree.
Victims: Popkov was sentenced to life in prison for raping
and murdering 22 women
He told police he suspected his wife of infidelity, which
she denied, claiming instead a neighbour had used their home for a sexual
liaison.
He found two used condoms in the rubbish at home, and this
led to his drive to take revenge on women, it is claimed.
"I just had some reasons to suspect her," he said
of his fear that his wife had slept with another man.
"I'm not looking for excuses, but this was the impetus
for my future.”
"If I had seen the treason with my own eyes, I would
maybe have done everything differently.
"Everyone goes through such things differently: some
take it easy and forget, others take it painfully.
"What happened with me? The worst-case scenario.”
Wife Elena, 48, admitted he found the condoms, and said:
"Maybe the police suppose it was kind of impetus to him, I do not know.”
Life:
Mikhail Popkov will never leave jail
Initially, when he was sentenced, she stood by him, as did
their teacher daughter Ekaterina, now 27.
Elena said at the time: "We have been married for 28
years.
"If I suspected something wrong, of course, I would
divorce with him.
"I support him, I believe him.
"If he were to be released right now, I would not say a
word and we would continue to live together.”
But now both women have moved to another city to begin new
lives.
They no longer visit him.Popkov was arrested in 2012 after
detectives took DNA samples from 3,500 current and former police officers.
While not commenting on the claims that he killed more than
the 22 victims for which he was convicted, he expressed "repentance"
over the misery he caused.
He admitted to having a negative view of women who went out
at night to drink without their husbands or boyfriends.
Now he says: "I had no right to evaluate people, their
behaviour...this is my repentance."
No comments:
Post a Comment