A horrifying crime unfolded as a young architect student, Viktoria Povesma, was brutally raped and dismembered by Alexander Altapov in front of his girlfriend, Ekaterina, in Tomsk, Siberia. Altapov, a convicted sexual offender, went to extreme lengths to conceal his heinous act by scattering Viktoria’s remains across the city. The chilling details emerged as Altapov demonstrated to police, using a mannequin, how he killed Viktoria after sexually assaulting her in his apartment.
Following Viktoria’s disappearance in 2017, her parents raised the alarm, prompting a search that led to the discovery of her severed head in a botanical garden and other body parts in various locations. Reports revealed that Altapov murdered Viktoria after she threatened to report him for rape, leading to a brutal confrontation where he ultimately took her life and dismembered her.
Altapov, who had a history of violent sexual offenses, had previously served time for assaulting a minor and attacking a former girlfriend. Another woman came forward, alleging that Altapov had also assaulted her, but her complaint was reportedly not acted upon by the authorities. In December 2018, Altapov was sentenced to nearly 25 years in prison for the rape and murder of Viktoria, while charges against Ekaterina were dropped.
Russian law stipulates that individuals cannot be held criminally liable for failing to report a crime committed by their spouse or for assisting in concealing it, as long as they were not directly involved in planning or carrying out the crime. Victims of sexual assault were encouraged to seek support from organizations such as Rape Crisis England & Wales, providing help and assistance regardless of when the incident occurred.
