MAPUSA: Goa police have arrested a Russian man, Alexei Leonov, 37, following the alleged murder of two women from Russia in the coastal areas of Pernem taluka. The incident came to light after authorities discovered the body of Leonov’s live-in partner, Elena Kasthanova, 37, in their rented accommodation in Arambol on Thursday night. Her body showed signs of struggle, including injuries and her hands tied behind her back with rope.
Initially investigating Kasthanova’s murder, police later uncovered that another Russian woman, Elina Vaneeva, was also a victim. Vaneeva was a mutual friend of the accused and Kasthanova. Reports indicate that Vaneeva had been in Goa for about a month and was killed around Jan 14-15.The investigation revealed a possible connection between the two murders, as the methods employed in both cases were found to be similar.Witness accounts suggested that an argument broke out between Leonov and Kasthanova prior to her death. Leonov asked a mutual friend, another Russian woman who lived adjacent to their room, to intervene, but she refused.The situation then turned volatile. The neighbour and friend of the couple, told police that she heard Kasthanova’s screams, but by the time she reached their room, Leonov jumped from the first-floor balcony and fled. He was subsequently arrested.Authorities are now examining Leonov’s background and potential links to criminal activity, while the local expatriate community is grappling with the shock of these events, particularly in areas frequented by Russian tourists. The police continue to collect evidence to establish a clear motive for this double homicide.
