ангарский маньяк

Mikhail Popkov, dubbed the “Angarsk Maniac” or “Werewolf,” is one of Russia’s most prolific serial killers. His crimes, spanning from 1992 to 2010 in the Irkutsk Oblast region of Siberia, are staggering in their brutality and scale.

Popkov was born in 1964. He presented a seemingly normal façade, working as a police officer in Angarsk. This position granted him a level of trust and familiarity with the local community, which he exploited to lure his victims. He used his official status to offer women rides, often late at night, gaining their confidence before driving them to secluded locations.

His victims were primarily women, ranging in age from 15 to 40. While initially targeting sex workers and women with perceived “loose morals,” his criteria broadened over time to include women from various social backgrounds. The murders were characterized by extreme violence, often involving rape, mutilation, and the use of axes, knives, and other sharp objects. He frequently targeted the victims’ heads and chests, inflicting devastating injuries. After the murders, Popkov would often leave the bodies in forests, along roadsides, or in cemeteries.

For years, the crimes baffled investigators. The sheer number of unsolved murders, coupled with the brutal nature of the attacks, created widespread fear and paranoia throughout the region. The lack of sophisticated forensic technology in the early years of the investigation hampered efforts to identify the perpetrator.

Suspicion eventually fell on Popkov due to a number of factors. A significant clue was the discovery that the killer likely possessed a vehicle with off-road capabilities, allowing access to the remote locations where bodies were found. Furthermore, DNA evidence from some crime scenes linked the perpetrator to a specific blood type prevalent in the region. A large-scale DNA screening operation was launched, and Popkov initially refused to participate, raising further suspicion. He was eventually compelled to provide a sample, which ultimately connected him to the crimes.

Popkov was arrested in 2012. During his initial confessions, he claimed to have “cleansed” the streets of “immoral” women. He was initially convicted in 2015 of 22 murders and sentenced to life in prison. However, he continued to confess to additional killings, leading to further investigations and trials. In 2018, he was convicted of an additional 56 murders, bringing the confirmed total to 78. This makes him the most prolific serial killer in Russian history, surpassing even Andrei Chikatilo, the “Rostov Ripper.” He was again sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case of Mikhail Popkov remains a chilling example of how a seemingly ordinary individual can harbor unimaginable darkness. His crimes left a lasting scar on the Irkutsk Oblast, and the investigation highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement in tackling serial killers, particularly in regions with limited resources and vast, sparsely populated areas.