A businessman has been arrested over the murder of a beauty queen whose body was discovered in woodland. Natalia Bozhuk, 39, disappeared after leaving home with her pet spaniel. Officers said her remains were concealed in a forest. Her partner Pavel Kozlov was apprehended overseas following an international manhunt.
Discovery and investigation
The murder is alleged to have occurred in July close to the Romashkovo housing estate in Odintsovo in Russia's Moscow region. Bozhuk was a model and a Mrs Russia Universe competitor. She also operated as a stylist and had recently completed a course at the Ostankino television school. She went missing following an argument with Pavel Kozlov, 44, on 17 July.
The model took a stroll with her pet dog Luna. Family members sounded the alarm when she stopped responding to her phone. Investigators said she died that day or the following one. Her remains were discovered in bags abandoned in woodland near an outbuilding on 27 July.
Arrest and extradition
Officers said the dog, which had remained close to the location for nearly two weeks, helped guide them there. Investigators said the body had been dismembered and concealed following the killing. Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said an argument erupted between the couple over a personal grievance. "During the quarrel the defendant inflicted several wounds on the woman, from which she died," she said. "After that the attacker took measures aimed at hiding the traces of the crime."
Kozlov departed from Moscow's Vnukovo airport to Turkey and subsequently travelled to Northern Cyprus. He was detained on 17 September. Turkish authorities delivered him to Russian police at Istanbul Airport on 18 September. Volk said: "Today, at Istanbul International Airport, employees of the competent Turkish authorities handed over a citizen of our country. He was on the international wanted list for the murder of a model and participant in the contest Mrs Russia Universe. At present, he is in custody."
Background and charges
Kozlov is facing a murder charge under Article 105 and could be jailed for up to 15 years. The couple had first encountered each other roughly six months before after she advertised that she was seeking a partner. Friends said he had approached her on the street and pursued her romantically. Detectives allege jealousy was behind the killing.
Kozlov, who hails from Tashkent, was employed in finance and established wholesale businesses. He has a five-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son, as reported by NeedToKnow. The case continues.
