Estate agent beat, raped and murdered 23 year old woman client who wanted to rent a flat

The shocking and brutal attack on perfume store salesgirl Maria Korkovenko came after she went to see realtor Alexander Novikov, 27, over a flat he was supposed to be finding for her to rent. He told her that the apartment had been leased to another client.

'A quarrel started between him and the victim, during which the girl demanded to return the deposit of 1,000 roubles ($30), which she transferred to him as an advance payment for his services,' said a spokesman for Krasnoyarsk region Investigative Committee. 

'Novikov made ensure that no one was in the corridor of the building, closed the office door with a key, and began to molest the girl, demanding sex from her and when she refused,  raping her.'

During a fight he 'caused her injuries incompatible with life' - but the exact cause of death and nature of injuries was not disclosed. He also stole 18,000 roubles ($535) from her bag. 

'To hide traces of the crime, the next day he packed the suspect's body in plastic bags'. He then loaded the corpse into a box, before renting a taxi to take the macabre package to a 'tyre cemetery', a dump for old car tyres, in the city's Leninsky district.

'He then poured inflammable liquid over the box and burned it.'

On the same day - 11 December 2012 - a massive search involving 150 police was launched for the missing woman altered by friends after she failed to come home. Next days she failed to turn up for her job at "L'etoile" cosmetics store in Planet shopping mall. 

'We looked in all the yards in Istoricheskaya Street, and put the posters around the whole city centre,' said a volunteer. Friends and colleagues of Maria called Novikov after obtaining details of her phone calls. He assured them he knew nothing. 'Don't worry, I'm sure you will find her,' he said. 

Almost 300 people joined the search for the missing woman. Novikov was arrested four days later in Kansk. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to murder Maria and revealed the details of his crimes.  

'According to him, at first he beat and raped the woman, and then killed and burned her body,' he told investigators. He took police to the site where he hid the woman's body.

Colleagues were shocked at Novikov's brutality. They revealed he appeared to be a happy man with a partner who was four months pregnant. He grew up in a 'prosperous family' and his father worked as an engineer in Krasny Mayak village.

Tributes poured in to social network sites dedicated to Maria. Alexander Grushin said: 'Masha, we remember you and love you. Rest in peace, let you rest in peace.'

Anna Lea wrote: 'Every time I remember, it makes me shiver.'

Alexandra Mikhaleva said: 'I wish strength to the family, and let the girl rest in peace. I just cannot comprehend this fact, so very sorry. Masha's relatives, keep strong. Condolences.'