12 years of strict regime: the sentence of penza for the murder of 85-year-old relative left in force

A fourth general appeals court has upheld the sentence of a Penzentse man convicted of the murder of his 85-year-old aunt. Previously, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a strict regime colony.

According to the court, in May 2024, the man transported an elderly relative from Moscow to Penza, because she needed help because of her age and state of health. Before moving, the woman owned an apartment in Moscow, which she gave to her nephew.

Living in a relative's home, the 85-year-old woman needed constant care. According to the materials of the case, due to chronic mental disorder, she lost her self-care skills.

The crime occurred on the night of 18 to 19 January 2025. The court found that the man, knowing about the age and helpless condition of the relative, inflicted numerous blows on her head, chest, torso and limbs. From the received chest injuries, the woman died on the spot.

On June 4, 2026, the Penza Regional Court found the man guilty of murdering a man with special cruelty, knowingly in a helpless state. He was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a high-security correctional colony with a subsequent restriction of liberty for one year.

Penzenets pleaded not guilty. Together with his lawyers, he asked to cancel the sentence and justify it. The convict claimed that he was absent from home at the time of the incident, and after returning found his aunt without signs of life. The defense admitted that another person who had entered the house could be involved in the woman’s death, and also pointed to the lack of evidence and alleged violations in forensic research.

The Criminal Court of the Fourth General Court of Appeal examined the arguments of the complaints and the materials of the criminal case, but found no confirmation of the defense’s version. The conclusions of the court of first instance on the guilt of the man and the qualification of his actions are recognized as justified, and the imposed punishment meets the requirements of the law.

As a result, the sentence of the Penza Regional Court remained unchanged.