The Knock That Stalked 26 Grandmothers

The Knock That Stalked 26 Grandmothers

An ordinary knock at the door became the signature of a killer who preyed on elderly women living alone across nine cities. This quiet, unremarkable man spent nearly a decade slipping into apartments, leaving behind nothing but bodies and a meticulously cleaned crime scene. How did he evade capture for so long?

In this episode, we delve into the chilling case of the Volga Maniac, exploring the landscape of central Russia where these crimes unfolded and the methods that allowed a single individual to claim the lives of at least twenty-six grandmothers. What made this case so difficult to solve for nearly ten years?

Case: The Volga Maniac
Person: Radik Tagiyev
Date: December 1, 2020 (arrest)
Location: Kazan, Russia
Victims: At least 26 women

- Tagiyev targeted women between 75 and 90 years old, living alone.
- He posed as a locksmith, electrician, plumber, or local official to gain entry.
- He always wore gloves and used nearby items like clotheslines or belts to strangle his victims.
- After each crime, he thoroughly cleaned the scene with detergent to eliminate scent trails.
- Surveillance footage from Ufa on September 26, 2012, captured him approaching a victim and leaving 29 minutes later.

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