Bio

Igor Suprunyuck was born in 1988 in Ukraine. He grew up in Dnepropetrovsk, a city in central Ukraine. His childhood was marked by early friendships. Igor became friends with Viktor Sayenko and Alexander Hanzha in school. They all attended the same school and often hung out together.

As children, Igor and his friends were known to get into trouble. They were caught throwing rocks at passing trains in the fifth grade. This was one of their first encounters with the law. Teachers noted that Igor was shy and sometimes withdrawn but often involved in fights.

By middle school, they began to share common fears. Igor and Viktor were both afraid of heights, which led them to take risks. They would stand on their 14th-floor balcony for hours, hanging over the railing to confront this fear. This act was their way of dealing with their anxiety.

While Viktor Sayenko was known to have a fear of blood, Igor suggested that they tackle their fears with cruelty towards animals. They reportedly captured stray dogs in the woods. They posed for pictures next to the animals they harmed. Evidence later showed that they even abused kittens, going so far as to make videos of their actions.

At the age of 17, Igor was arrested for beating up a local boy and stealing his bike. He sold the bike to Viktor. However, they did not serve jail time because of their age.

Igor left high school and worked various odd jobs. While his friends pursued education and employment, Igor remained officially unemployed. He began to drive an unlicensed taxi, a green Daewoo Lanos that was a birthday gift from his parents.

Local media reported that Igor and his friends had wealthy parents connected to local authorities. His father, Vladimir Suprunyuck, was a test pilot and associated with influential political figures in Ukraine.

Murder Story

On June 25, 2007, Igor Suprunyuck and his accomplice Viktor Sayenko committed their first murders in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. Their first victim was Ekaterina Ilchenko, a 33-year-old woman. As she walked home, Suprunyuck struck her in the head with a hammer. Her body was discovered hours later by her mother. Almost immediately after, they attacked Roman Tatarevich, who was sleeping on a bench nearby. Suprunyuck and Sayenko repeatedly bludgeoned him, leaving him unrecognizable.

Over the next few weeks, they continued their violent spree, killing multiple victims. On July 1, they murdered Evgeniya Grischenko and Nikolai Serchuk in a nearby town. On July 6, they killed three more people, including a recently discharged soldier, Egor Nechvoloda, and a night guard, Elena Shram. Shram was attacked while walking by them, and Suprunyuck struck her several times with the hammer. They cleaned the weapon using a bag that had belonged to her. Later that night, they also killed Valentina Hanzha, a mother of three.

On July 7, they attacked two 14-year-old boys, Andrei Sidyuck and Vadim Lyakhov, while they were fishing. Andrei was killed, but Vadim escaped. The violent acts continued, with Suprunyuck and Sayenko killing numerous other victims over the following days. Many were chosen at random and included vulnerable individuals like women, children, and the elderly. Some were attacked in broad daylight, evidencing a complete disregard for human life.

The brutality of their methods was shocking. Most victims were killed with blunt objects, and many were mutilated or tortured. Horrific details emerged, such as the murder of a pregnant woman whose fetus was removed. There was a pattern of violence that extended throughout the region, prompting panic and confusion among the local population.

The investigation began after the attack on the boys, particularly after Vadim cooperated with the police to create sketches of the attackers. A task force was established to catch the killers, which involved over 2,000 investigators. Eventually, on July 23, Suprunyuck and Sayenko were arrested after Suprunyuck attempted to sell a stolen mobile phone at a pawn shop.

While the pair initially confessed to the crimes, they both later changed their pleas. Their trial started in June 2008. The prosecution's case included video evidence and photographs documenting some of the murders, which had been recorded by the killers themselves. On February 11, 2009, Suprunyuck and Sayenko were found guilty of multiple murders and sentenced to life in prison. Alexander Hanzha, who was involved in robbery but not murder, received a lesser sentence.

Both Suprunyuck and Sayenko appealed their convictions. They maintained their innocence and claimed they were scapegoats in a larger conspiracy. However, their appeals were ultimately rejected, and the findings of the trial stood.