MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Sausage King Vladimir Marugov's murder reminds Internet of Ferris Bueller's Day Off's Abe Froman, here's why

Vladimir Marugov and his partner were in an outdoor sauna cabin on Monday when they were attacked with a crossbow, reportedly by two masked assailants

The grisly death of a Russian oligarch has caused the internet to reminisce about a cult classic comedy film from the 80s, ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off’. It may not be a usual connection to make but hardly anything in 2020 has been normal. Vladimir Marugov and his partner were in an outdoor sauna cabin when they were attacked, reportedly by two masked assailants. He was murdered with a crossbow, investigators said. His partner managed to escape through the window and call the police.

As per news reports, the attack happened at Marugov's countryside estate, close to 25 miles outside Moscow, early on the morning of Monday, November 2. The Investigative Committee, which positions itself as a Russian version of the FBI, said that the intruders had demanded that Marugov, the owner of the Ozyorsky and Meat Empire sausage factories -- reportedly Russia's largest meat-processing plants -- hand over cash kept at his home. After this, they reportedly fled in their car. Investigators said they found the murder weapon, a crossbow.

The getaway car was later recovered on the outskirts of the town of Istra, west of Moscow where affluent Russians have country homes known as dachas and like to spend the weekends. Police have detained a male suspect in connection with the murder. The suspect has not yet been named.

So, what does this horrible incident have to do with ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off’? Well, Marugov was reportedly nicknamed ‘the Sausage King’ which, of course, reminded people of Abe Froman, supposedly the ‘Sausage King of Chicago’, a never-seen character in the film. 

In ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off’, Froman is known for not keeping appointments. Froman has a noon reservation for a party of three at the affluent Chez Quis restaurant, which Ferris and friends steal. Their plans hit a snag when the snooty maitre d' refuses to believe that Ferris is the legendary ‘Sausage King of Chicago’, but Ferris pulls it off with a telephone call.

Anyway, back in 2020, Abe Froman’s name began trending on Twitter. “Abe Froman dying really is the most 2020 thing possible,” wrote a Twitter user. Another Twitter user just asked his name as a question to the news report, “Abe Froman?” Another Twitter user said, “I guess ‘Abe Froman’ moved from Chicago recently.”

But other Twitter users suspected Froman of the murder. A Twitter user wrote, “Abe Froman sets down his phone and grins as he lights a cigar. ‘There can be only one king’.” Another Twitter user said, “Police think the motive was jealousy and they’re looking hard at Abe Froman.”

Abe Froman being the suspect as a theory gained more and more currency with every minute. One Twitter user said, “The sausage king of Chicago, Abe Froman, is finally making his power-play…” Another Twitter user said, “I bet the assassins were sent by Abe Froman who wanted to expand his sausage empire beyond Chicago. Seriously though, this is quite a story.” Another person noted, “Abe Froman takes his Sausage King title seriously and decided ruling Chicago wasn't enough.”