Ballerina's body chopped up and dissolved in acid by manager who blackmailed her with nude pics, say cops
Russian authorities believe a ballerina from the widely popular Bolshoi Theatre was blackmailed with nude photos and later dismembered and dissolved in sulphuric acid. 25-year-old Olga Demina went missing six years ago, and investigators are now reportedly following a new lead in the long-running probe. Authorities believe Olga was killed after she became the victim of a sting operation by a man who threatened her with "sexually compromising" pictures of her.
40-year-old Malkhaz Dzhavoev, the dancer's alleged manager and lover, has been named as the prime suspect in her disappearance. According to the report, Dzhavoev was detained in Moscow after being extradited from Germany in 2017. He had allegedly fled Russia and was posing as a Kurdish refugee before he was apprehended on an Interpol warrant.
Recently, Dzhavoev was jailed for five and a half years for fraud that involved a flat belonging to Olga's boyfriend Alexey Fetisox, who is also a suspect in her disappearance and murder. Speaking to Komsomolskaya Pravda, a law enforcement official has now revealed Dzhavoev “let slip” that Olga’s corpse “was dismembered and dissolved in acid” and her remains probably dumped in a well near a lake.
“Search work is underway there now," the source said. “Sulphuric acid does dissolve everything to zero. Some body fragments should be preserved. But they still need to be found.” It emerged that Dzhavoev had taken the ballerina on a trip out of Moscow just days before she vanished. At the time, she reportedly danced for a group of businessmen at a nightclub. It was also reported that Dzhavoev and his father had purchased sulphuric acid from an industrial source.
Authorities discovered a skull last year, close to where Dzhavoev’s mobile signal was registered on the night Olga went missing. However, they later confirmed it wasn't linked to the case.
“Investigators told me new information appeared in the case," the ballerina’s mother Elena Demina said. “The killer murdered her and then dismembered the corpse… then he dissolved parts of the corpse in acid." The dancer had allegedly paid large sums of money to Dzhavoev prior to her demise. “Shortly before her death, she sold her Peugeot car. She went to sell it with Malkhaz, he took the money," the heartbroken parent continued. “Olga also had loans in her name — and gave the money to Malkhaz. She was completely at his mercy.”
According to the report, Olga feared “sexually compromising” pictures of her would be leaked online. Despite paying large sums to prevent the same, the pictures were posted online. "While in the apartment on the night of August 20, 2014, Dzhavoev allegedly attacked Demina and committed premeditated murder," court documents allege.
Olga's mother received a rather strange text message from her daughter's phone shortly before she went missing. "Mum, this is Olga. I stole a large amount of money. I cannot go to Moscow. I'll now go to Europe for 10 days," it read. "Do not answer calls if they call you. Do not look for me. Don't go anywhere." Authorities, however, believe the message was sent by Dzhavoev after he murdered her.
On the other hand, Dzhavoev’s lawyer has denied any wrongdoing on his client's part. According to them, Olga may have fled abroad living off proceeds from a housing scam. “We have information that Olga Demina was long dreaming of leaving Russia and arranging her personal life abroad,” said a member of Dzhavoev’s legal team.
Nonetheless, Olga's family has maintained she was swindled out of money "from a housing deal" shortly before she disappeared.