A Moscow resident is set to stand trial in the Republic of Buryatia, accused of killing a woman he knew and staging her death as a mountain accident in order to steal her money and jewelry, Russia's Investigative Committee said.
According to investigators, the man invited an acquaintance on a trip to the resort village of Arshan in September 2025. The pair went hiking together in the mountains, where investigators say he attacked her, striking her repeatedly on the head and body before strangling her.
He then stripped her of her valuables and threw her body into the fast-flowing Kyngyrga River, investigators said.
Staged rescue call
After the current carried the body away, the man called rescue services and reported that his companion had fallen from a suspension bridge into the river and been swept away by the water, according to investigators.
He then went back to their hotel room and took jewelry and personal belongings belonging to the woman worth 1.1 million rubles, investigators said.
Suspect denies wrongdoing
The man has not admitted guilt and maintains that the woman's death was an accident, investigators said. But investigators say forensic examination has since disproved that version of events.
During the investigation, some of the victim's belongings, including a diamond-studded watch and a pair of earrings, were found in the possession of a friend of the accused in Moscow, investigators said.
The criminal case has now been sent to court for examination on the merits, according to Russia's Investigative Committee.
Background on the case
The Investigative Committee of Russia is the country's main federal agency responsible for investigating serious crimes, including murder. Its regional department in the Republic of Buryatia, in southern Siberia near Lake Baikal, is handling the case.
Arshan is a small resort village in Buryatia's Tunkinsky district, known for its mineral springs and its location at the foot of the Eastern Sayan Mountains, making it a popular destination for hikers and tourists.
