Vasily Smirnov

Vasily Alexandrovich Smirnov, a.k.a "Gatchina Psychopath", was a Soviet, pedophilic serial killer, rapist, robber and arsonist. He committed five murders in 1979 and sexually assaulted numerous other victims.

Background
Smirnov was born in November 30, 1947 and was only child of family. His father died when Smirnov was young and his mother indulged in every possible way Vasily and said that he was the best, yet did not allow him to communicate with peers, go to dances or meet with girls. When Smirnov was 18 years old, he hit his mother on the head with a hammer and attempted to rape her. However, he failed.

Soon after serving in the army, Smirnov committed his first known sex crime, raping an elderly woman. He was arrested and sentenced to prison where Smirnov was raped by other inmate. While serving his sentence, his mother passed away.

Crimes, Capture and Death
On September 3, Smirnov attacked an eight-year-old girl named Marina Koshkina. After raping the girl he demanded that she would not tell her mother. Koshkina refused and Smirnov slaughtered her. Not so long after young boy named Andrei Lopatin was found raped and stabbed to death. Smirnov intended to cut of a piece from the boy and use it for food, but fled when bicyclist appeared.

Rumors about vampire started to spread. Smirnov's third victim was a local elderly woman who was considered rich. Smirnov tore her dead off and then robbed her. Before he left from the house, he set in on fire. Last victim was teacher and mother Tatyana Emshova. Like most of Smirnov's victims, she was raped before her death.

Smirnov also raped unspecified count of women, but didn't report to the police because of shame. Until one woman, who was also raped by him, contacted the police. The crime had occurred on the same day when Smirnov killed Emshova. He was exposed on an old conviction. The investigators came to Smirnov's house, but found only a burnt house. And soon the killer attacked a group of children in the middle of the day, raping one girl. He arrested soon after. While under arrest, Smirnov happy talked about his crimes, confessing about a fifth murder of an elderly woman, whom he had raped. He had left her purse on the road, and moved her corpse by car, staging it as a traffic accident.

Smirnov was quickly connected to all murders since he hammered nails into victims' heads. He was executed in 1980 by firing squad.

Murders

 * 1979, Gatchina, Soviet Union:
 * September 3: Marina Koshkina, 8
 * Unspecified dates:
 * Andrei Lopatin
 * Unnamed woman
 * Tatyana Emshova
 * Unnamed elderly woman

Other

 * Unspecified date in 1965 or 1966: His unnamed mother
 * Unspecified date: Unnamed elderly woman
 * Unspecified dates in 1979:
 * Unnamed woman
 * Unnamed teenage girl
 * Unnamed girl
 * Note: Smirnov also raped unspecified count of women who didn't report to police.