Yuri Leonidovich Tsiuman was born on January 30, 1969, in the city of Taganrog, Russia. His parents struggled with alcoholism, which led to frequent violence in the home. They would often hit him and make threats, and his father was tried multiple times for these actions. When Tsiuman's father fell seriously ill and died in their home, his mother did not seek help from the police. Instead, she began to invite different lovers into their home, having relationships in front of her son.

As a child, Tsiuman found it hard to communicate with other kids. He was seen as quiet and calm. Often, he would sit on a bench outside his grandmother's house. He was given the task of helping by pushing children in wheelchairs around the yard.

When he became an adult, he was considered intelligent. He enjoyed watching thriller films on cable TV. However, he also struggled with alcoholism. Tsiuman had difficulty interacting with women, suffering from a condition known as Hypoactive sexual desire disorder. 

Yuri Leonidovich Tsiuman committed his first murder on December 24-25, 1986. He attacked a 16-year-old girl named Maria. Tsiuman took her hostage one night, and after some initial resistance, she suggested going to her apartment, hoping someone would come to help her. Unfortunately, there was no one home. In the apartment, Tsiuman tied Maria up, beat her, raped her, and attempted to strangle her. Before leaving, he robbed her belongings and tried to set the apartment on fire. There are conflicting reports about Maria's fate; some sources say she survived, while others state she did not.

From 1987 to 1989, Tsiuman did not commit any murders as he was serving in the Russian army on a missile forces team. In late June 1989, he attacked another girl. He beat and attempted to rape her late at night. He took her to his apartment, where he forced her to perform sexual acts but could not continue. After getting dressed, he took her back out to the street, but she escaped by alerting passing strangers. This incident was reportedly ignored by the police, leading Tsiuman to leave for Stavropol shortly after.

Between 1990 and 1991, Tsiuman raped and killed four or possibly five girls in Taganrog. His victims were often dressed in black stockings, which became a signature element of his crimes. He carried out these murders during specific nights in May and September of 1990 and in June of 1991.

On November 26, 1992, Tsiuman was apprehended while trying to commit another murder. At this point, investigators had gathered considerable evidence against him, including blood samples, hair, and fingerprints. On February 11, 1994, Tsiuman pleaded guilty to the four murders and was sentenced to death. However, due to a moratorium on the death penalty, his sentence was changed to life imprisonment.

His trial gained significant media attention in Russia and was televised. After the trial, Tsiuman participated in an interview where he talked about his crimes. He is currently serving his sentence in Black Eagle Prison in Sol-Iletsk. In 2011, he attempted to challenge his life sentence in the Supreme Court of Russia but was unsuccessful.