Court ends high-profile case, sentences killers to life imprisonment in Kazakhstan

On Nov. 17, the Atyrau Specialized Interdistrict Criminal Court found Rizuan Khaiyrzhanov and Altynbek Katimov guilty of the brutal murder of Yana Legkodimova. They will spend the rest of their lives in a maximum-security prison.

According to court documents, the two men intended to kill Legkodimova and had planned the crime together.

«Some may wonder why both of them were sentenced to life imprisonment if Katimov only held the car door while Khaiyrzhanov was the one who committed the murder. But the truth is that they planned the brutal murder together. Katimov was the one who pushed Legkodimova into the car and prevented her from escaping by holding the door. That is why his actions were also qualified as murder. This was a brutal killing, planned and carried out in cold blood. They prepared for it beforehand, laughing and humiliating Yana. They were preparing for the crime in a clear state of mind. They looked for poisons and discussed how to kill her without leaving a trace. They waited until she was alone. They valued her life as little as 500,000 tenge [$950].

Throughout the trial, I waited for you, defendants, to explain the messages you sent to each other. You refused to testify. However, before the closing arguments, you, Khaiyrzhanov, claimed that Yana drank alcohol, used drugs and threatened you. There is no evidence to support these claims. You killed her simply because she loved you. By denigrating the victim, you prove that you still do not understand what you have done. Throughout the trial, the court accepted only one of your statements — that your actions were inexcusable,» the judge said.

Both men were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and theft.

During the trial, the defendants denied wrongdoing but partially admitted their guilt after prosecutors presented irrefutable evidence.

«The lower part of her jaw is missing. Her arms, legs and pelvis are also gone, as wild animals tore her body apart. Where is the rest of her body? Considering all of this, Khaiyrzhanov and Katimov, the court sentences you to the harshest punishment,» the judge stated, describing the condition of Legkodimova’s remains.

The court also ordered both defendants to pay 1.9 million tenge ($3,620) jointly and 15 million tenge ($28,584) each in moral damages to Yana’s mother, Galina Legkodimova.

In October 2024, Khaiyrzhanov and Katimov lured the girl out of her house, killed her and dumped her body into the Ural River.