Nikita Vakhtangovich Lytkin was born on March 24, 1993. He grew up in Irkutsk, Russia. His great-grandparents worked as hydraulic builders, helping to build hydropower stations. His mother, Marina, worked at a shoe store. Similar to his friend Artyom Anoufriev, Nikita’s father was not present in his life for much of his childhood. His father left when Nikita was very young. Though he returned later, their relationship was strained, especially after the traumatic events including the death of Nikita's younger half-brother.

Nikita had a quiet demeanor and, according to his mother, he was very closed off and uncommunicative. If there were guests in their home, he would often retreat to his room. In his early years, he sometimes got into trouble for drawing on the walls of their apartment. As a child, he had a friend named Artur Lysenko who helped him adjust to social situations. However, this friendship ended when Lytkin learned to assert himself after being taught how to say no.

Before reaching fifth grade, Lytkin was a good student and participated in creative contests. He enjoyed playing video games. In 2004, he joined a mathematics class because of his high test scores, but he faced social difficulties and was not accepted by the other children. During a birthday party, he met Anoufriev, who was a year older. At this point, Lytkin was already experiencing deep depression. His connection with Anoufriev allowed him to share his feelings, but it also led him to lose contact with former friends, as he felt the new friendship was more genuine.

In middle school, Lytkin's behavior changed. He became less engaged with his classmates and was bullied due to social awkwardness. His classmates mockingly referred to him as "Jimbo," after a character known for being mean. He found solace in music and formed a punk band called "Evil Dwarfs" with Anoufriev. This group was short-lived, but they released an album in 2008. They later formed another band that often featured violent and obscene lyrics.

Lytkin struggled academically and eventually dropped out of school after the eighth grade. He was expelled for poor academic performance and had issues with bullying at a construction college he attended afterward. His mother filed a police report after he burglarized a classmate's home, but she later withdrew it, wanting to avoid any serious consequences for him.

As a child, Lytkin and his mother attended church, but as time went on, they went less frequently. He had a brief interest in various activities like music and kickboxing, but eventually, he retreated into social media. He experienced a lag in psychological development, and professionals advised his mother to give him more freedom. As he grew older, he became ashamed of his mother and distanced himself from her.

Nikita Vakhtangovich Lytkin, alongside his accomplice Artyom Anoufriev, engaged in a series of violent crimes in Irkutsk, Russia. Their attacks began on December 1, 2010, when they assaulted a 12-year-old boy named Danil Semyonov while he was riding a snow scooter. They used a mallet to strike him from behind, resulting in his death shortly after.

On December 16, 2010, the pair killed 69-year-old Olga Pirog, who was found with multiple stab wounds. They recorded their attack, capturing their discussion about the murder. Subsequently, on December 29, they attacked a pregnant woman and her niece, with the pregnant woman suffering serious injuries.

As 2011 began, Lytkin and Anoufriev continued their pattern of violence. They murdered a homeless man on January 1 and later assaulted student Oleg Semyonov, who managed to escape but suffered severe injuries. Their attacks escalated in brutality, with each assault becoming increasingly violent and often resulting in death.

One of the most notorious instances occurred on February 21, 2011, when they murdered Alexander Maximov, a man returning home after visiting his sister. They inflicted severe beatings, resulting in Maximov’s death. The duo showed a disturbing fascination with their actions and would often mock their victims both during and after the attacks.

On March 10, 2011, they attacked another homeless man named Roman Faizullin, using a firearm and stabbing him multiple times until he was nearly unidentifiable. Their last victim was 63-year-old Alevtina Kuydina, whom they killed on April 3, 2011. They recorded themselves mocking her corpse after the murder.

Following these events, a public outcry in Irkutsk led to an investigation that ultimately resulted in the arrest of Lytkin and Anoufriev on April 5, 2011. They confessed to their crimes, including six murders and multiple assaults, during their interrogation. The pair received life sentences and significant media coverage brought their horrific actions to widespread attention.
In 2021, he was found dead in his prison cell after attempting suicide. By then, he had served ten years of his initial sentence of 24 years, which was later reduced to 20 years. He was only 28 years old at the time of his death.