Maxim Vladimirovich Petrov was born on November 14, 1965, in Kolpino, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. He grew up in a typical family during a time when the Soviet Union was changing.

Maxim pursued his education and later became a doctor. He worked as an emergency doctor in St. Petersburg. His job involved providing urgent medical care to people in need. Maxim lived in the central area of Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg.

Maxim had two marriages in his life. He had three children in total: one from his first marriage and two from his second marriage. The details of his relationships and family life are not widely known, but they were a part of his personal history.

In 1997, Maxim Vladimirovich Petrov began to rob his patients. He would arrive at their homes, usually in the morning, when their family members were away. He claimed to be checking their blood pressure and suggested they needed an injection. This injection would anaesthetize them, leaving them unconscious while he stole their belongings. At first, Petrov's victims woke up after he left. He continued this pattern, committing a total of 47 robberies.

The first murder happened on February 2, 1999, during his thirtieth robbery. He was caught stealing by the daughter of one of his victims. In a violent act, he stabbed her with a screwdriver and then strangled the unconscious patient with a stocking. This event changed how Petrov carried out his crimes. He began using a deadly mix of drugs to ensure that his victims would die after his attacks. Then, to cover his tracks, Petrov would burn down their homes.

When police started investigating, they initially did not think they needed to release a description of the suspect. As they continued to gather evidence, they discovered that all of Petrov’s victims were lung patients from a specific list. This discovery led to an operation named "Medbrat," involving 700 officers. They arrested Petrov on January 17, 2000, while he was visiting another patient.

After his capture, Petrov first admitted to the murders but later took back his confession, claiming he had been under intense stress. Police found stolen items at his home, but he had already sold many others. Some of his surviving victims suffered serious injuries. He was suspected of 19 murders but was tried for 17. In 2002, he was found guilty of 11 murders and sentenced to life imprisonment.