Serial Killers

Andrei Chikatilo

Victims

Chikatilo first struck on Dec. 22, 1978. His victim was 9-year-old Lena Zakotnova. She was on her way home from school when she met Chikatilo and followed him to a small shack nearby. He had promised her some imported gum.

Once they got into the shack, Chikatilo pushed Zakotnova against the floor and undressed her. He pressed his forearm against her neck and covered her eyes with a scarf so he did not have to look into them.

He first attempted to have sex with her, but could not achieve an erection. He started using his fingers to violate her and she started struggling. At this sign of struggle, he became aroused.

Chikatilo was going to let the girl get away, but quickly realized that she would report him. He used a knife to stab her three times in the stomach. He then threw Zakotnova, still alive, into the icy waters of the Grushevka River.

A lady who had seen the man and little girl together described Chikatilo to the police. He was questioned, but released when his wife said that he had been home that evening. No one knows why his wife testified on his behalf.

The police then arrested an innocent man, Alexsandr Kravchenko, and sentenced him to death.

Chikatilo's second victim was a 17-year-old named Larisa Tkachenko. She and Chikatilo met at a bus stop outside of the Rostov Public Library.

Tkachenko immediately followed Chikatilo to a deserted stretch of woodlands when he offered her sexual favors. As soon as they got there, he started to tear her clothes off.

She tried to get away, but he overpowered her and beat her in the head with his fists. In order to stop her screams, he filled her mouth with dirt and then strangled her.

Once she was dead, he bit off one of her nipples, showing the first sign of his cannibalism. He then ejaculated on her corpse. He covered her body with her clothes, leaving it to be found the next day.

Chikatilo's next victim was a boy. Lyuba Biryuk, 13, was killed by Chikatilo in June of 1982. Chikatilo, failing at an attempt to rape the boy, stabbed him repeatedly.

By September of 1983, Chikatilo had already murdered 14 people. During the next year, he killed 15 more.

In August of 1985, Chikatilo offered an 18-year-old retarded girl Vodka. She was found naked with 38 stab wounds.

Later that month, he killed a young woman whom he had offered lodging in return for sexual favors. When he was not able to obtain an erection, she laughed at his sexual inadequacies. He killed her and left her body in a field.

Chikatilo killed five more in 1987.

In April of 1988, he killed a 30-year-old woman after enticing her to a vacant lot to have sex with him. He stabbed her repeatedly and disfigured her corpse. She had a size 9-10 shoe print in her side.

In the next year, Chikatilo killed eight more.

On his way to his dad's birthday party, Chikatilo killed 19-year-old Yelena Varga. He cut out her uterus and sliced off part of her face.

By the end of 1990, Chikatilo had killed nine more. Seven of the nine victims were young boys ages 7-16. The boys had several body parts missing including their genitals and tongues. The females were missing their uteruses and nipples.

In his sister's vacant apartment, Chikatilo seduced and killed 16-year-old Tatyana Ryzhova. He stabbed her, violated her and then decapitated her. He also sawed off her legs with a kitchen knife.

Chikatilo stabbed and mutilated 22-year-old Svetlana Korostik. He ate both the tip of her tongue and her nipples. After finishing, he returned to the bus station with spots of blood on his cheeks and earlobe. There, Sergeant Igor Rybakov, saw him and questioned him.

This led to his arrest.

Source: Court TV's Crime Library

Andrei Chikatilo:
History | Victims | Arrest | Trial and Execution | Photos

Summary

Dec. 22, 1978- Lena Zakotnova- attempted rape, no erection- struggle led to arousal- threw her in river
Larisa Tkachenko- sexual favors- tried to get away- bit off nipple, ejaculated over corpse
Lyuba Biryuk- attempted rape, stabbed repeatedly
Sept. 1983- 14 total victims
1984- 15 more victims
Aug. 1, 1985- Retarded girl found naked with 38 stab wounds
Aug. 1985- Woman made fun of sexual inadequacies- he killed her
1987- 5 more victims
April 1988- Stabbed and disfigured woman- left shoe print in her side
1989- 8 more victims
Tatyana Ryzhova- stabbed and violated- decapitated with sawed-off legs
Yelena Vargas- Cut out uterus and sliced off part of her face
Jan.-Nov. 1990- 9 more victims
Females had uteruses and nipples missing
Males were missing tongues and genitals
Svetlana Korostik- stabbed and mutilated- ate nipples and tongue- returned to bus station
Seen in bus station by Rybakov- led to arrest later