Zaven Sarkisovich Almazyan was born on May 5, 1950, in Rostov-on-Don, located in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. He was born into an Armenian family and lived a fairly ordinary childhood by outward appearances. Like many Soviet boys of his time, he was enrolled in a local school and also took part in extracurricular activities such as freestyle wrestling. He trained rigorously in the sport and became proficient in chokeholds, a skill that would later take on a dark significance.

After finishing school in 1968, Almazyan enrolled in a technical college and worked simultaneously as a laborer or loader. However, his outwardly stable life began to unravel emotionally. According to later reports, he experienced a psychological breakdown during this time.

Almazyan’s descent into violent crime began in early 1969. He started targeting women in a chillingly methodical manner. His usual approach was to confront his victims with a knife, claiming that they had "lost in cards," before dragging them to isolated areas and raping them. This delusional card-game excuse would become a disturbing part of his pattern.

During his third known attack, Almazyan made a mistake—he lost his student ID at the crime scene. Investigators initially suspected him but were convinced by his manipulation and lies. Fearing imminent capture, he volunteered to serve in the Soviet Army, likely hoping the move would help him evade further suspicion.

While stationed in a military unit in Voroshilovgrad, Almazyan was assigned to look after pigs. This low-security post gave him the freedom to leave his base without strict supervision. Between March and April 1970, he resumed his violent activities, carrying out multiple attacks. The local police, recognizing the serial nature of the crimes, deployed around 300 officers and civilian militia groups to patrol the streets. Almazyan adapted by moving to increasingly isolated areas to carry out his assaults.

On April 14, 1970, Almazyan committed his first known murder. He abducted 17-year-old Svetlana Mazurina, bound her hands, gagged her with a towel, raped her, and then strangled her to death. He took her gold jewelry as a trophy.

In a bizarre twist, another man, Vitaly Vlasov, was arrested shortly after during a failed attack orchestrated by police using a decoy. Vlasov admitted to numerous rapes but denied the murders. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years. Around the same time, another unrelated suspect was detained after attacking a 13-year-old girl, but he was soon cleared of the murders.

Almazyan remained at large. On July 4, 1970, he raped and murdered 17-year-old Nina Zaikova, leaving behind a torn piece of the newspaper Rural Life. On August 6, he attempted to assault 20-year-old Olga Serova, but a passerby intervened, causing him to flee. Then on September 22, he made another failed attempt, leaving behind a sheet with a military stamp. Unfortunately, due to an error in examining the partial markings, authorities failed to trace it back to him.

His last known murder occurred on October 21, 1970. He raped and strangled 20-year-old Larisa Rogova, stealing her earring and red sweater as souvenirs. On November 7 or 8, Almazyan attacked another woman in a city park. This time, volunteers nearby pursued him. Multiple suspicious men were detained, including Almazyan. One of his surviving victims identified him on the spot.

During questioning, Almazyan confessed in full. Authorities discovered items stolen from all three murdered victims and several rape victims in his shed. He was convicted of three murders and twelve rapes.

Tried by the Military Tribunal of the Kiev Military District, Almazyan was sentenced to death. His appeal to the Supreme Court of the USSR was denied, and in 1973, he was executed by firing squad.