Bio

Yuri Chubarovs bought a place called "Mūrnieki" in the late 1970s or early 1980s. He wanted to move there and make it his home. After Latvia regained its independence, the Koshkins family received back the land around the building during denationalization. This led to disputes between Chubarovs and the Koshkins family.

In April 1997 the "Mūrnieki" building burned down. The police said the fire was caused by an overheated stove and damage to the chimney. Chubarovs blamed the Koshkins for the fire. He then moved to live in a small trailer at "Mūrnieki".

Chubarovs owned four firearms. His license to possess them expired on July 21. On August 1 a summons was issued for him to appear at the police station, and he did not respond. On September 18 police carried out a raid and visited his residence, but he was not home.

Murder Story

On September 20, 1997, in Iecava parish, eleven people were picking potatoes near the "Mūrnieki" house. At about 11:00, Yuri Chubarovs drove up to the property in a Lada Niva.

After the helpers had lunch, at around 14:00, Chubarovs drove from the yard to the combine harvester and opened fire with at least two firearms. Seven people were killed. One person, Guntars Griva, was wounded in the lung and shoulder and taken to Bauska hospital for surgery. Three potato helpers escaped.

After the incident, about 200 police officers and national guardsmen began searching the forest near "Mūrnieki". In total, about 500 people took part in the search. It was the largest such event since the restoration of Latvia's independence.

Chubarovs's body was found the next day at about 17:00, roughly 2 km from the "Mūrnieki" house. He had entered the forest and crawled feet first into a burrow dug by animals and a cave overgrown with nettles. He had two firearms with him, and one of them had been used in the shooting. One of his dogs was sitting by the body.

September 25 was a day of mourning in Iecava. All the dead, including Chubarovs, were buried on September 26.

The people who died were Arthur Koshkins (1978), Janis Koshkins (1952), Alexander Minogin (1943), Vladimir Mozheyko (1971), Inta Skrastīte (1961), Karlis Skrastitis (1945), and Polina Skrastīte (1941).

Chubarovs had purchased "Mūrnieki" in the late 1970s or early 1980s and wanted to move there. After Latvia regained independence, the Koshkins family regained the land around the building during denationalization, which led to disputes between Chubarovs and the Koshkins family. In April 1997, the "Mūrnieki" building burned down. Police attributed the fire to an overheated stove and chimney damage, but Chubarovs blamed the Koshkins family. He moved to a small trailer at "Mūrnieki". He owned four firearms, but his license expired on July 21. A summons was issued to him on August 1, and he did not respond. On September 18, police conducted a raid and visited his residence, but he was not at home.