Yuri Anufrievich Ivanov was born in 1956 in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union. He worked as a driver and was married with a daughter. His personal life took a dark turn when he discovered his wife with another man, which led to a deep-seated resentment towards women he perceived as unfaithful.

Between 1974 and 1987, Ivanov embarked on a series of heinous crimes in Ust-Kamenogorsk. He would engage women in conversations about their views on men; if they spoke negatively about their husbands or men in general, he would target them. His modus operandi involved raping and then strangling his victims, after which he would steal their personal belongings.

In 1987, Ivanov murdered a 16-year-old girl. At the crime scene, investigators found an aluminum button and hair samples that did not belong to the victim. Anticipating the killer might return to the scene, authorities set up a trap and apprehended Ivanov when he did. Faced with overwhelming evidence, including items he had given to roommates that belonged to his victims, Ivanov confessed to 16 murders and 14 separate rapes. He was noted for his precise recollection of each crime, even identifying victims from photographs without error. 

In 1989, Ivanov was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad. Prior to his execution, he requested a meeting with his daughter, but she declined.