Architecture Student Brutally Murdered by Convicted Sex Offender in Siberian City
A horrific crime has shocked the Siberian city of Tomsk, where a 20-year-old architecture student was raped and dismembered by a man with a known history of sexual violence. The brutal murder occurred in the perpetrator's apartment, with his girlfriend reportedly witnessing the entire atrocity.
The Night That Ended in Tragedy
Viktoria Povesma, a promising young architecture student, visited Alexander Altapov and his girlfriend Ekaterina at their apartment following a night out with friends in 2017. Tragically, the 20-year-old was completely unaware that Altapov had previously served prison sentences for sexual assaults against minors and violent attacks on partners.
According to court documents and police reports, Altapov raped Viktoria twice before proceeding to strangle her to death. The attack escalated when Viktoria threatened to report the sexual assault to authorities, prompting Altapov to murder her in what investigators describe as a calculated attempt to silence his victim.
Gruesome Aftermath and Attempted Cover-Up
Following the murder, Altapov dismembered Viktoria's body in his apartment bathtub. Together with his girlfriend Ekaterina, he placed the body parts in plastic bags and scattered them across various locations throughout Tomsk in a desperate attempt to conceal the crime.
The investigation began when Viktoria's worried parents contacted police after she failed to return home from her night out. Authorities launched a search that eventually led to the discovery of her severed head in the city's botanical gardens, with additional body parts found at multiple dump sites around Tomsk.
Disturbing Police Evidence and Legal Proceedings
In a particularly disturbing police video presented as evidence, Altapov used a mannequin to demonstrate how he killed Viktoria after sexually assaulting her. He confirmed that the attack occurred "in front of his girlfriend's eyes" while she "sat on the sofa" in the apartment.
Judge Anastasia Kartseva detailed the crime during court proceedings, stating: "During a quarrel with the victim, and aiming to kill her, he squeezed her neck with his hands until she ceased to show signs of life. Having committed this crime, he used a knife, dismembered her, and scattered the body parts in different areas of Tomsk."
Criminal History and Failed Protections
Altapov's violent history dates back to his late teens when he was imprisoned for "violent acts of a sexual nature" against a victim under 14 years old. He later served another prison sentence for savagely attacking a girlfriend and stealing her purse.
Disturbingly, another woman came forward alleging that Altapov had previously attacked her, forcing his way into her flat and suffocating her to the point of unconsciousness. She claimed that police failed to act on her complaint about Altapov, despite her warnings about his violent tendencies.
Sentencing and Legal Technicalities
In December 2018, Alexander Altapov was sentenced to 24.5 years in prison for the rape and murder of Viktoria Povesma. However, charges against his girlfriend Ekaterina were subsequently dropped due to a provision in Russian law that exempts spouses from criminal responsibility for failing to report crimes committed by their partners, provided they were not involved in planning or executing the murder itself.
This tragic case highlights the devastating consequences when individuals with violent criminal histories are able to reoffend, and raises serious questions about victim protection and legal safeguards in cases of extreme violence.
