A 47-year-old man has been charged with murder after the death of his 90-year-old grandmother in Sydney, Australia, with his lawyers telling a court that the weight-loss drug Ozempic had an effect on him.
Valentina Spivak was found with multiple stab wounds to her chest and throat after emergency services were called to her flat at around 5.15 pm on Saturday, September 19. Her grandson, Sergei Mitnik, was arrested at her home in Bondi and has since been charged with domestic violence-related murder.
Chilling Triple Zero call
Mitnik had been the one to alert authorities to the scene, telling emergency services in a Triple Zero call that he needed help in “having a body removed from the location” as his grandmother was “not compliant”, which meant that, “unfortunately, I have to get an ambulance here”.
According to court records, he then hung up and turned off his phone to wait for police to arrive. When New South Wales Police officers arrived at the flat, Ms Spivak was found inside with 19 stab wounds to her chest and throat.
Court documents seen by The Daily Telegraph allege that Mitnik had been estranged from his grandmother before he turned up at her doorstep on Saturday for one final visit. He was at the Bondi flat for nearly an hour before the alleged attack took place. A knife was allegedly found at the property.
Ozempic and mental health issues
In a Sunday bail hearing, lawyers for Ms Spivak's accused killer told the court that Mitnik was taking Ozempic and had suffered from mental health issues. “He states to me that Ozempic had an effect on him as a result of the medication,” solicitor Javid Faiz said.
His solicitor added that Mitnik had been due to meet with a psychologist a month before the alleged murder, but the appointment had been cancelled. Mr Faiz told the hearing that he could seek to have his client transferred to a mental health facility in the future, and asked the court to assess him as needed by two psychiatrists.
A police prosecutor told the court the statement of facts referred to Mitnik making “some admissions”. It did not shed any light on what mental health conditions he may have been suffering from when the alleged murder took place.
Bail refused and other incidents
The 47-year-old did not apply for bail. It was formally refused either way, with a judge advising him to receive any necessary treatment and be provided with medication as needed.
Eastern Suburbs Police Area Commander Detective Superintendent Jodi Radmore said Mitnik did not live in Bondi and had been cooperative with police. “One alleged murder is too many … we just have to work together to do better,” she said.
Just hours after Ms Spivak's death, the body of another elderly woman, aged in her 70s, was discovered by police at Mole River while responding to a domestic violence callout at around 9.35 pm. Her 37-year-old son is charged with murder.
Also on Saturday, a 23-year-old woman was found with critical stab wounds inside a home in Wagga Wagga. First responders arrived at about 11.45 am, but the woman died at the scene. Police were told a man had fled the location before their arrival. An 18-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Wagga Wagga police station, but he was later released without charge. Later that day, at about 8.30 pm, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a Wagga Wagga home and taken to the police station, where he remains. All three people are believed to have been known to each other.
