Vladimir Nikolayev (murderer)

Vladimir Nikolayev (born 1959) is a Russian man who was convicted of cannibalism and murder in 1997. The crimes occurred in the city of Cheboksary, Russia. Nikolayev was accused of murdering two men, dismembering their bodies, and consuming portions of their flesh.

The case garnered significant notoriety due to its gruesome details and the rarity of documented cannibalism cases in modern Russia. Reports indicated that Nikolayev lured his victims under various pretenses before killing them. He then reportedly dismembered their bodies and consumed some of the remains, storing the rest.

Nikolayev was apprehended following the discovery of the human remains. During the trial, he confessed to the crimes, citing poverty and hunger as partial motivations, although mental instability was also considered as a possible contributing factor.

He was convicted of murder and cannibalism and sentenced to death. However, due to Russia's moratorium on capital punishment, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He remains incarcerated. The Nikolayev case serves as a chilling example of extreme violence and the darkest aspects of human behavior. His actions sparked widespread revulsion and remain a point of discussion within criminological circles.