A university professor has confessed to? the brutal murder of? two women in? a Kazan apartment where the? words "Free Pussy Riot" were written in? blood on? the wall, investigators said Friday.
The? suspect, an? acquaintance of? one of? the women, said he wrote the? message to? throw off investigators.
Investigators on? Friday said Igor Danilevsky, a 38-year-old professor at a Kazan university, had confessed to? the killings and? been detained.
The? announcement Thursday that the? bodies of? a 76-year-old woman and? her 38-year-old daughter had been found in? their apartment with multiple stab wounds alongside the? words "Free Pussy Riot" prompted a? Russian Orthodox Church official to? urge human rights groups and politicians to disavow their support of? the female punk band to prevent further violence. Media outlets declared that a Pussy Riot supporter had been behind the killings.
Three Pussy Riot members were sentenced earlier this month to? two years in? prison for? their performance of? a song denouncing President Vladimir Putin in? Christ the? Savior Cathedral, in? a case that has drawn international scrutiny.
A? lawyer for? the Pussy Riot women on? Thursday called the? English-language message on? the wall of? the murdered women's apartment a? "provocation."
According to? a statement posted on? the Investigative Committee website Friday, Danilevsky said he had studied with the? younger of? the two murdered women. Danilevsky had told her that he wanted a? family with her and? convinced her to? take out a? loan for? him, the? money from? which he used to? pay off debts he had.
Danilevsky promised the? woman to? go on? vacation with her to? Egypt, then offered to? go to? Simferopol instead, citing a? lack of? funds, the? statement said. On? Aug. 22, he told the? woman that the? trip had to? be delayed until January.
The? woman accused him of? perpetually deceiving her, at? which point Danilevsky picked up a? knife and? stabbed her several times, the? statement said. Hearing the? fight from? the next room, the? woman's mother came in, and? Danilevsky stabbed her several times as well. Both women died from? their wounds.
A? knife that investigators presume to? be the? murder weapon was also found in? Danilevsky's apartment, the? statement said.
Danilevsky then looked for the papers showing that he had received money from? his acquaintance and? stole 100,000 rubles ($3,100) and? two cellphones. On? Thursday, regional investigators had said the? "total mess" in? the women's apartment indicated that it was a? robbery.
In? an attempt to? make investigators think it was a? "ritual murder," Danilevsky then arranged the? bodies in? the form of? the number 69 and? wrote "Free Pussy Riot" on? the wall with their blood, the? Investigative Committee statement said.
A? criminal murder case has been opened by? Tatarstan investigators, and? the inquiry into? the killings is ongoing, the? statement said.
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