Nikolay Pavlovich Shubin, born in 1956 in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, exhibited signs of mental instability early in life. In 1976, he was hospitalized at the Voronezh Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Dispensary with a diagnosis of neurasthenia. 

Between 2004 and 2006, Shubin targeted homeless and solitary individuals in Lipetsk, Russia. He would often engage his victims in chess games, and upon losing or during disputes, he would attack. His modus operandi involved delivering a strong blow to the victim's head, binding their hands and feet with wire, and then strangling them with a garrote he carried. Shubin referred to himself as the "Cemetery Director," a moniker reflecting his perceived authority over life and death.

In October 2006, authorities detained Shubin following the disappearance of a local pensioner named Mescheryakov, who had gone to play chess with him. During interrogation, Shubin confessed to Mescheryakov's murder and led investigators to the burial site. Subsequently, he admitted to additional murders, each confession accompanied by detailed accounts and locations of the bodies. Throughout the investigation, Shubin displayed no remorse, speaking of his crimes with pride and confidence.

A psychiatric evaluation diagnosed Shubin with paranoid schizophrenia, rendering him unfit for trial. Consequently, he was committed to compulsory psychiatric treatment.