Grigoriy Bukhantsov pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, allegations of committing multiple murders and of using a knife to commit them
A California man will spend the rest of his life in prison over the brutal 2012 murders of his sister-in-law and two of her three children.
Grigoriy Bukhantsov pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, allegations of committing multiple murders and of using a knife to commit them.
He also pleaded guilty to a single count of raping his young niece with an instrument as he killed her, the Sacramento Bee reported.
The 25-year-old is expected to be officially sentenced April 27 in Sacramento Superior Court, but a deal was finalized Tuesday that would see Bukhantsov in state prison for the rest of his life but spared the death penalty.
On October 22, 2012, a 19-year-old Bukhantsov appeared on the doorstep of his brother, Denis’s home in Rancho Cordova and asked to stay the night.
The next morning when Denis came home he found the bodies of his wife Alina, his three-year-old daughter Emmanuela and two year-old son Avner.
The 25-year-old is expected to be officially sentenced April 27 in Sacramento Superior Court, but a deal was finalized Tuesday that would see Bukhantsov in state prison for the rest of his life but spared the death penalty. Pictured is the home where the slayings took place in Rancho Cordova, California, just days after the 2012 murders
On October 22, 2012, a 19-year-old Bukhantsov appeared on the doorstep of his brother, Denis’s home inand asked to stay the night. The next morning Denis found the bodies of his wife Alina, his three-year-old daughter Emmanuela and two year-old son Avner. Alina and Denis are pictured left in a wedding photo, and right she is pictured with their one of their three children
Bukhantsov stabbed them each more than 20 times with a butcher knife and a second blade as they sat down for breakfast, and then fled the scene in the family’s minivan.
The only family member at the home during the attack who was spared was the couple’s six-month-old son Mark, who was sleeping in his bedroom crib.
The teenager was found later sleeping in a booth of a Rocklin Diner.
Bukhantsov faced the death penalty if convicted of all of his cromes before his family asked he be spared and instead spend his life behind bars, according to Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Donnell Slivka.
‘This was not a decision that was made quickly,’ Slivka told Sacramento Superior Court Jude Steve White.
‘First and foremost, these were particularly heinous and brutal crimes. He murdered a two-year-old and a three year old.’
Bukhantsov faced the death penalty if convicted of all of his cromes before his family asked he be spared and instead spend his life behind bars, according to Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Donnell Slivka. Pictured is Alina’s mother sobbing in her hands, flanked by her father to the right and Denis to the left
Slivka said the prosecutors had considered Bukhantsov’s age during the slayings, his mental health and his ‘psychological issues.’ They also considered the requests of his family members, who wished to see him live out his days behind bars
Just after the gruesome slayings deputies said Bukhanstov had a troubled relationship with his family, and court records showed his parents and siblings sought restraining orders because they were afraid of him
Slivka said the prosecutors had considered Bukhantsov’s age during the slayings, his mental health and his ‘psychological issues.’ They also considered the requests of his family members, who wished to see him live out his days behind bars.
‘It was the family’s wish that this be resolved with life without parole,’ he said.
On Tuesday a jury said Bukhantsov was of right mind to accept the plea deal, and his attorney Jan Karowsky called it ‘the most fair and just resolution for everyone.’
Just after the gruesome slayings deputies said Bukhanstov had a troubled relationship with his family, and court records showed his parents and siblings sought restraining orders because they were afraid of him.
According to multiple court filings he had repeatedly threatened to stab, shoot and burn family members to death, struck his relatives, punched holes in walls and showed signs of using drugs and alcohol.