In Kosivska Polyana, a communal feast turned into a bloody massacre in a farm building. The suspect fled the scene of the crime, but criminal investigators quickly tracked him down and detained him.
Law enforcement officers from the Rakhiv District Police Department detained a 21-year-old resident of the village of Kosivska Polyana, who is reasonably suspected of committing the intentional murder of an older fellow villager.
The Communications Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Zakarpattia Oblast officially reported on this high-profile criminal incident.
Chronology of the tragedy: a quarrel during a feast and a cold-blooded killing
As investigators determined, the incident occurred on the evening of November 4 on the grounds of a private homestead in the mountain village of Kosivska Polyana:
- The conflict: A 21-year-old local resident was drinking alcohol with his 50-year-old acquaintance in a farm building. While drinking, a sudden verbal altercation broke out between the men;
- Shooting and Finishing Off: The young man’s aggression instantly spiraled out of control. He grabbed a smoothbore shotgun and fired a aimed shot at the victim directly in the back. Afterward, the assailant grabbed a heavy wooden club and struck the wounded man more than ten additional times on the head and face until he showed no further signs of life.
Discovery of the Body, Hiding Plan, and Arrest by Police
The body of the murdered man was discovered only the next morning by his 49-year-old brother, who immediately called the emergency hotline “102.”
Realizing the gravity of his actions, the young man attempted to evade criminal liability and went into hiding in the town. However, investigators from the Rakhiv District Criminal Police Department conducted a comprehensive search operation, quickly located the suspect, and detained him in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
Charges Filed and Legal Proceedings
Investigators from the Rakhiv District Police Department informed the 21-year-old detainee that he was suspected of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (intentional homicide).
The penalty under the charged article provides for imprisonment for a term of 7 to 15 years.
Under the procedural guidance of the Tyachiv District Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement officers prepared a motion to the court requesting that the suspect be held in pretrial detention without the right to bail. The weapon and physical evidence were seized and sent for forensic examination.
Source: Main Directorate of the National Police in Zakarpattia Oblast
