'Lord of the Rings' visual effects technician stabs parents because they wouldn't treat his pet dog as an 'equal'
Sergey Koudryavtsev, a visual effects technician who formerly worked on the 'Lord Of The Rings' films, has been jailed for at least 26 years after he stabbed his parents to death over disagreements about his dog Enzo. The 48-year-old killed his mother Tatiana Koudryavtseva, 68, and father Vladimir Koudryavtsev, 69, at the family home on Appleford Road, Kensington, West London on May 20.
The elderly couple was found dead three days after their murder when the defendant himself called the police to the home. The Daily Mail reports that Koudryavtsev, who has dual Russian and New Zealand nationality, represented himself at his trial at the Old Bailey, entering guilty pleas to both murders. He was sentenced on October 11 by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC to life with a minimum term of 26 years.
Koudryavtsev, who was born in Rostov, Russia, had managed to build up a successful career in cinema and holds a degree in mathematics. He has worked on multiple blockbuster films including 'Blade', 'Resident Evil', 'Avatar', 'District 9' and 'Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes'.
His mother was a former university lecturer, had degrees in chemistry and the history of art while her husband had a Ph.D. in physics and mathematics. He was reportedly suffering from cancer and strokes and had been given just weeks to live. Their son was described as "exceptionally clever" but lacking in social skills.
Koudryavtsev had reportedly emigrated to New Zealand in 2002. He worked on visual effects for the 'Lord of the Rings' films and eventually moved back to East Horsley, Surrey with his wife.
The defendant had gotten two dogs called Boris and Nikita while in New Zealand and he also got a Neapolitan Mastiff puppy named Enzo after Boris had to be put down. Nikita too died soon after and the defendant allegedly blamed his wife for the death of his pets.
He moved back into his parent's home with Enzo after his marriage broke down but reportedly became frustrated with his parents over what he saw as their disregard towards the dog. He was reportedly so obsessed with his dog that he would not even allow his mother to open a window in case it got a cold.
Two knives were recovered from the apartment by officers upon arresting Koudryavtsev. He told officers that he had practiced martial arts with knives for the past 17 years and had admitted to 'fantasizing' about killing his parents for up to four months, as they did not appreciate that dogs were 'equal to humans'.
According to Koudryavtsev's statement, he grabbed his mother by the head, used the hunting knife to stab her in the neck repeatedly, then walked into the bedroom and stabbed his father twice. Afterward, he claims to have found Enzo a good home but he refused to reveal the address to the police.