Vladimir Viktorovich Storozhenko was born on April 11, 1953, in Smolensk, Soviet Union. He graduated from the 8th grade of the 16th Smolensk High School. He got into trouble with the police for committing petty theft. He also exhibited cruel behavior, which included torturing and killing domestic animals.

Vladimir displayed a troubling interest in girls, often showing cruelty toward them. He was convicted twice for different crimes, including charges that allegedly involved rape. After serving his time, he found a job as a chauffeur at a car park. During this time, he married and had a son. In his work life, he was viewed as a positive employee and had a reputation as a good family man.

Between 1978 and 1981, Vladimir Storozhenko attacked around 20 women and girls in Smolensk and nearby areas. Thirteen of these attacks ended in murder, often involving rape. His first murder took place near the Assumption Cathedral. Storozhenko was known for torturing his victims in various horrific ways. One victim was a 12-year-old girl whose body was discovered in a sand pit, showing clear signs of torture.

At one point, Storozhenko attempted to attack a woman who was actually a decoy set up by the police. He managed to flee when an officer confronted him, leaving blood behind that helped identify his blood type. Interestingly, Storozhenko worked as a police informant and even took part in searching for the very killer he was.

Four people were wrongly arrested for his crimes. One was an employee of the prosecutor's office who spent nine months in jail before being proven innocent. Another was a traffic policeman. A local guard was also accused of a murder he did not commit under police pressure. Lastly, a man caught for stealing confessed to killing his wife because he was threatened with execution.

Storozhenko was caught in 1981 after a survivor identified him based on a tattoo. Police matched his travel records to the times and locations of the murders. His blood type matched that found on the victims. His wife revealed he had given her jewelry that belonged to one of his victims. The police searched his apartment and found a gold ingot hidden under his mother’s bed. His brother admitted to knowing about the crimes and indicated where more evidence was stored. During the investigation, police discovered weapons and explosives linked to a plan for future attacks.

When the last victim recognized him in a lineup, Storozhenko began confessing. Investigators conducted an experiment where they used dummy bodies dressed like the victims to see if he could identify their clothing, which he did. The investigation led by Issa Kostoyev went on to be famous for connecting multiple murder cases.

In 1983, Storozhenko received a death sentence, which was carried out in 1982. His brother, Sergei, was sentenced to 15 years for being an accomplice and later received additional time for attempting to escape.