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Deputy Nabbed for Slaying Boss

A migrant worker has beaten a businesswoman to death on the order of her careerist subordinate, who paid him 50,000 rubles ($1,600) for the hit, the Investigative Committee said Thursday.

The alleged mastermind, Lyudmila Kachalova, was deputy head of the Association of Businesswomen of Russia, but wanted the lobby group's top job, held at the time by Tatyana Malyutina, 55, the committee said in a statement.

To that end, Kachalova hired a native of Karachayevo-Cherkessia who worked as a gardener for her, the report said.

Malyutina let the killer into her apartment because he pretended to be a plumber, whose services she required at the time. Once inside, he bludgeoned the woman to death with a wrench and fled, stealing two cell phones on his way out, the investigators said.

The murder took place in July, but the committee only reported solving the case this week. The alleged killer, aged 36 but whose name was withheld, was detained and pleaded guilty, exposing Kachalova as his contractor, the statement said.

Kachalova had in the meantime become the association's head.

The alleged killer remains in detention. Kachalova was arrested but hospitalized over unspecified health problems, Lifenews.ru reported, citing an unidentified law enforcement officer.

Both suspects may face up to life in prison on murder charges, the Investigative Committee said.

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