A pornographer faces life in prison for strangling his wife and dumping her body on a remote riverbank after a violent row.

Cruel Alexander Logunov is in court in the city of Ryazan in the oblast of the same name, western Russia, over the killing of his wife Elena Logunova on 25th July 2021.

Her body was discovered on the shrubby banks of the local Tysya River close to the M5 motorway on 7th October 2022.

Logunov was in detention at that time for the distribution of pornographic content. Only then – when interrogated by officers once again about the disappearance of his wife – the dad of two admitted to having choked her in a domestic row.

However, Logunov claimed that he had no intentions to kill his wife. The defendant argued that it was an accident which occurred when an argument in their apartment in Ryazan escalated.

Now, as investigators finished their examination, the trial against Logunov starts at the District Court of Ryazan. Logunov faces life in prison for the killing of the woman he had married in 2016.

His parents are reportedly accused of assisting him in dumping her body. Investigations on whether they face charges are ongoing.

Ekaterina Shumyakina – a private detective and cold case expert – told local media: “Now there is a judicial investigation. His parents answer all questions, but regarding what happened on 25th and 26th July, they take advantage of federal law by abstaining from testifying against yourself, relatives and loved ones.”

The daughters of Elena and Alexander are now raised by the murdered woman’s parents.

Elena’s heartbroken mum, Natalia Kosheleva, told local media that the crime against her daughter had been solved and thanked the entire Central Investigative Committee for their efforts.

Logunov was initially charged with 11 breaches of federal anti-pornography laws. He was accused of the Illegal production and online circulation of pornographic material.

Prosecutors did not disclose any further details on the pornography charge.