A 43-year-old plumber identified as Michael P. faces charges in Poland over the murder of at least seven elderly women, following an investigation that police officers say could uncover the worst serial killer in Polish history.
Investigators suspect the total victim count may be significantly higher after discovering 75,000 photographs on the suspect's mobile phone, including images depicting his victims.
Police arrested Michael P. in February 2025 after a bank call centre worker overheard him strangling an elderly customer. The woman had called customer service to request help changing her bank card PIN when the plumber launched his attack, unaware that the telephone line remained open and recorded the violence.
Officers dispatched to the victim's home apprehended Michael P. under the balcony of the property. Officers noted that he was under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest, and subsequent inquiries revealed he suffered from a severe gambling addiction.
Method of operation and evidence
According to police, Michael P. used his plumbing trade to gain legitimate access to the homes of vulnerable women. After conducting initial reconnaissance of the properties during plumbing work, he returned at later dates under various pretexts.
The suspect routinely carried a backpack containing gloves, duct tape, and cable ties. Once inside, he immobilised his victims by tying them to chairs and threatened them until they disclosed where they hid cash and valuable items.
Even after the helpless victims revealed the location of their valuables, Michael P. suffocated them using objects such as pillows or plastic rubbish bags while they remained bound.
Investigators believe that although the suspect initially acted with extreme caution to conceal his tracks, he later lost self-control. This breakdown in discipline left key forensic evidence at crime scenes, including cable ties remaining on the hands of his victims.
Alleged Ukrainian accomplices
Police have also arrested two Ukrainian nationals accused of acting as accomplices in several of the killings.
One accomplice, 33-year-old Taras Kh., confessed to participating in the crimes but maintained that he intended only to commit robbery rather than murder. The second Ukrainian suspect, Ihor Kh., who was arrested last November, denies all involvement in the case.
Scale of police investigation
A police spokesman told the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza that authorities believe they are dealing with the worst serial killer in the history of Poland, and potentially in all of Europe.
Gazeta Wyborcza is one of the primary daily newspapers in Poland, headquartered in Warsaw. Polish law enforcement agencies continue to review digital media recovered from the suspect's phone as forensic teams work to identify additional potential victims across the country.
