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Tycoon's son jailed for 'especially cruel' murder of ex-girlfriend after public outcry

By 0 and 0 and 0
01 November 2016

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Karina's savagely beaten and slashed body was found in a house in Novosobirsk with 25 stab wounds. Picture: Social media

Killer Mark Konkov, 17, has been sentenced to nine years in a penal colony for stabbing to death his former girlfriend in a 'murder of special cruelty'.

The sentence - a year below the maximum for an offence committed when the killer was 16 - came after a public campaign for justice to be done, amid fears the case would be hushed up.

In outbursts in court, the tycoon and his wife Natalia was quoted as saying Karina should not have come to their house because 'she was not from our social strata'.

Karina Zalesova


Karina Zalesova


Karina and Mark

Karina Zalesova's body was found on 28 August in Igor Konkov's house. Pictures: Social media

The girl had gone to see construction tycoon Igor Konkov's son after he threatened to kill himself if she did not come to him. Karina went out without telling her parents where she was going. 

Her cell phone did not answer, and was then switched off, and her parents reported her missing to police. Later her savagely beaten and slashed body was found in a house in Novosobirsk with 25 stab wounds. 

He has first beaten her with his fists and a wooden figurine, then grabbed the knife, stabbing her a dozen times in the throat, and 13 times to her face.

Initially Konkov was detained but then put under house arrest, sparking protests in Novosibirsk, Moscow and St Petersburg that the case could be hushed up. The protests followed the victim's father posting a message online that he feared Konkov's wealthy could exert influence on the law enforcement process. 

Mark Konkov


Mark Konkov


Mark Konkov

Killer Mark Konkov, 17, has been sentenced to nine years in a penal colony for stabbing to death his former girlfriend in a 'murder of special cruelty'. Pictures: Social media, NGS.ru

Sergey Zalesov wrote: 'He [Mark] had a very rich family. We were told: 'It will be not so easy for you, if you do not talk to media and get publicity.' We fear very much that the case will be hushed up. I want him to answer to the law for what he's done.' 

After the initial protests, the teenager was removed from house arrest and held in detention. Regular rallies were held to keep a public focus on the case. 

Psychiatric tests in Moscow on Konkov found personality disorders and sadistic inclinations but deemed he was 'sane' when he killed Karina.

The case was reclassified from 'Murder' to 'Murder with special cruelty'. 

Konkov senior argued in court that his son and the girl had a suicide pact, but that only she died. Foresnic evidence indicated the girl had defended herself against a vicious attack, the court heard.

Meeting


Meeting


Yulia Zalesova

Regular rallies were held to keep a public focus on the case. Pictures: Social media, Alyona Martynova

Konkov junior eventually agreed to give evidence and rebuffed his father's version of a suicide pact. 'I just killed her and that's all,' he said.

The case was heard in closed session but a relative of Karina, Maria Grebenkina, who attended the court, was quoted saying: 'At today's hearing Konkov's parents finally lost their human face. 

'Konkov's mother, Natalia, claimed: 'Does anybody think that I would allow my son to be close with this girl? She was not from our social strata. If this girl knew it is not good to come to somebody's house just like that, she would be alive.'

Natalia Konkova


Igor Konkov

Natalia Konkova (top) and Igor Konkov (bottom) argue that their son is not guilty. Pictures: Tayga.info, Tekhstal

Grebenkina continued: 'The father was outraged, he shouted: 'There was no special cruelty. I saw her body and she looked normal, she was just dead. We are from different strata, no one invited her to our house, she came by herself.'  

When he was reminded that she came  because his son threatened to commit suicide if she did not appear, he said: 'Now other girls will know how to feel pity.

She would be alive if she did not come. I believe my son is not guilty.'

Konkov will be put in an adult penal colony once he turns 18. 

Comments (7)

Only death penalty would be Justice in this case or lifetime in prison, 9 years is absolutely ridiculous decision ,I followed this case for months ,the intend and cruelty if this murder is unimaginable, he actually cut her throat then called he's friend and laughed about that she can still talk with cut troat,she actually begged him not to kill her after he cut her throat ,and he asked for advice from he's friend how to do it properlyerly so she stops talking, I mean monsters like that should not exist in this world ,9 years and then the monster is out!? And knowing that he's rich daddy will pay all the money to reduce sentence after several years that is should be expected, for God's sake where is the Justice here!
Anna Pipoyan, United States
11/01/2018 12:27
1
0
Judging from the parents comments, they raised a sadistic selfish monster for a son.... Maybe they should be punished for trying to lie for him. Their comments show they didn't care that this poor girl was dead and they didn't care anything about the hurt her family would suffer... MONSTERS RAISING MORE MONSTERS ! I hope they don't have any more children .....
GTJ, USA
12/01/2017 15:22
3
0
9 years is too short. They should increase the sentence to over 30 years and try him as an adult (as happens in USA all the time) due to the extra brutal and barbaric way he killed such a young girl, i'm sure politicians could push for that, sadly instead the father will probably use his money to make his sons life easy in jail getting a nice cell with lots of luxuries and everything and probably won't get transferred in an adult prison.

The parents are disgusting and vile, you can see why the son turned out to be so selfish and evil, they should be heartbroken at what has happened to the poor girl, but instead these classless scum want to talk about how they're high class, they are from the gutter to talk about a innocent dead girl like this.
Xad, UK
05/11/2016 10:20
5
1
What an arrogant bastard, he is the reflection of his parents they might think money can rule the world but money is just a paper when judgment day comes the poor girl's soul will not leave them alone they should be prepared for it..
Boisy Gangte, India
04/11/2016 12:45
6
1
ohh.. papa say they are what kind of strata??
He thinks to be a refined inteligentia of russia but proves to be a horrible arrogant narcist idiot, more so like a mafia strata, and son is underage so father should go to jail too for bring up such little monster!
Ion, Bukarest
03/11/2016 07:19
13
1
and after he is 18 hopefully he will be with the real hard boys. and will pray every night that this will be his last one. but it should not be. the boys should maker it last for a long time. that miscreant should be made feel what he did. and for a long time. and all daddies money should not help him! scumbag should never see daylight again!
Benedikt, Moscow
02/11/2016 08:11
17
1
Classic spoiled brat spiced with a geolocal overzealously uncontrollable aggressiveness, rot in jail.
Vaeltaja, Finland
02/11/2016 07:01
14
1
1

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