Vladimir Nikolayev (murderer)

{{short description|Russian murderer from Novocheboksarsk (born 1959)}}

{{Infobox criminal

|name=Vladimir Nikolayev

|image=

|birthname=Vladimir Nikolayevich Nikolayev

|alias=The Novocheboksarsk Cannibal, The Ogre

|birth_date = {{birth date|1959|3|16|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Novocheboksarsk, Soviet Union

|death_date =

|death_place =

|cause =

|victims=2

|country=Russia

|conviction =Murder

|sentence =Death, commuted to life imprisonment

}}

Vladimir Nikolayevich Nikolayev (Russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Никола́ев) (born March 16, 1959) is a Russian murderer from Novocheboksarsk.

Nikolayev is best known for the cannibalism of his victims, and of distributing and selling their flesh to others in disguise of exotic animal meat.

Background

Prior to his murder convictions, Nikolayev had a long criminal history, first being convicted for theft and robbery in 1980.{{cite web|url=http://yavix.ru/вики%20Николаев,%20Владимир%20Николаевич%20(убийца|title=Влади́мир Никола́евич Никола́ев российский убийца и людоед - Биография|language=ru|website=yavix.ru|trans-title=Biography of Vladimir Nikiolayevich Nikolayev, cannibal|accessdate=28 August 2017}}

On his own account, the first murder happened "accidentally" when Nikolayev killed a drinking companion, (who also had a criminal history) during a fist fight. He then carried the victim upstairs to his apartment and attempted to revive him with cold water. When he realized that the man was dead he dismembered his body in the bathtub. Nikolaev has stated via later interview that it was not originally his intent to cannibalize his victims, but rather the idea occurred to him spontaneously while dismembering the first body.{{cite web|url=http://serial-killers.ucoz.com/load/vladimir_nikolaevich_nikolaev/1-1-0-356|title=Влавдимир Николаев|language=ru|website=serial-killers.ucoz.com|trans-title=Vladimir Nikolayevich Nikolayev|accessdate=29 August 2017}} He stated that he had originally intended only to bury it.

During this first dismemberment Nikolayev removed a portion of flesh from the victim's thigh, which he roasted. Finding the results of this culinary experiment satisfactory, he continued utilizing flesh from his victims as food.

Nikolayev distributed the flesh to acquaintances, and even went so far as to sell {{convert|5|kg|lb|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} at an open market, telling buyers that it was kangaroo meat. He used the money from this venture to buy alcohol.

The ruse was at last discovered when some people who ate the product Nikolayev procured as "Saiga trimmings" became suspicious of the taste and submitted it to a doctor. Upon analysis the meat was found to contain human blood.

Vladimir Nikolayev was arrested and confessed shortly thereafter. Investigators searched his apartment, where they found human remains and a heavily bloodstained bathtub.{{cite web|url=http://murders.ru/gnida_734.html|title=Отечественные серийные убийцы разных лет ( кон. 20-го - нач. 21-го столетий ).Часть 2.|language=ru|website=murders.ru|trans-title=domestic serial killers, late 20th to 21st century part 2.|accessdate=29 August 2017}}

Sentence

In 1997 Vladimir Nikolayev was convicted under articles 105, 152, 162 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

He was sentenced to death. In 1999, by presidential decree, the death penalty was suspended, being replaced by life imprisonment. He has stated that while he is generally against the idea of the death penalty, he would prefer it for himself, rather than continuing to live in prison for the duration of his life. In 2001 he was transferred to IK-6 Black Dolphin Prison.{{cite web|url=http://cripo.com.ua/print.php?aid=80525§_id=6|title=Каждый день ближе к свобод|language=ru|website=ripo.com.ua|trans-title=Every day closer to freedom|accessdate=28 August 2017}}

Vladimir Nikolayev was featured in the National Geographic documentary "Russia's Toughest Prisons".{{cite web|url=http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/videos/black-dolphin-prison/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705205447/http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/videos/black-dolphin-prison/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 5, 2015|title=inside Black Dolphin prison|website=channel.nationalgeographic.com|accessdate=28 August 2017}}

References

Additional sources

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOjGM4mpKb0 NatGeo interview with "Vladimir the Cannibal" (English translation)]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xTYCJIm_Vo Тюрьма Чёрный дельфин, людоед - DTV [Interview: Cannibal of Black Dolphin] (in Russian)]

Vladimir Nikolayev (murderer)

Background

Sentence

References

Additional sources

See also