Atyrau murder defendant watches grim exhumation video with head raised
The high-profile trial of Sultan Sarsemaliyev, who is accused of the brutal murder of four members of the Karabalin family, his in-laws, continued in the Atyrau criminal court on Thursday. With witness testimony now complete, the court moved on to reviewing video evidence in the case.
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Footage shown in court included recordings from the exhumation of the victims’ remains, a crime scene inspection, investigative actions conducted in the village of Zhangeldin, and video of Sarsemaliyev’s initial interrogations.
The emotional impact of the footage was evident in the courtroom. The victims’ sisters were unable to hold back tears while watching the videos. Sarsemaliyev, however, appeared unfazed, standing with his head held high and staring intently at the screen without visible emotion.
Presiding judge Zarema Khamidullina warned trial participants and members of the media against publishing footage of the exhumation on social media, citing the potential for serious psychological harm.
Shepherd says he believed victim was alive for months
The court also heard testimony from a local shepherd who had been caring for the Karabalin family’s livestock.
According to the witness, although the murders occurred in the fall, he remained convinced until late January that the owner of the livestock, Nauryz Mukangaliyev, Sultan’s brother-in-law, was still alive because he continued receiving messages from him.
The shepherd testified that in November 2025, Mukangaliyev allegedly told him that his mother was seriously ill and that the family urgently needed money for a surgery.
«He wrote to me, ‘I’m selling my cattle. I’ll send the buyer myself,'» the witness said. «He only asked me to show them the animals. The men arrived, and they reached an agreement. I continued tending the cattle until Jan. 25, 2026.»
The witness said that when he needed money for his work, he would contact Mukangaliyev and receive transfers through the Kaspi app.
According to investigators, the shepherd was unaware for nearly two months that the livestock owners were already dead. Prosecutors allege that Sarsemaliyev continued communicating with acquaintances using the victims’ phones in an effort to sell their property and conceal the crime.
Prosecutors detail allegations
According to investigators, the killings took place on Nov. 3, 2025, in the village of Zhangeldin, Atyrau region.
Prosecutors allege that Sarsemaliyev arrived at the family home with his wife and daughter. Following a dispute with his wife’s relatives over the children, he allegedly ambushed his father-in-law, Maksot Karabalin, and mother-in-law, Nassip Uteshkaliyeva, inside an outdoor kitchen and fatally stabbed them. Their bodies were then buried beneath the floor.
After the killings, prosecutors allege, Sarsemaliyev used the victims’ bank cards and mobile phones, sold their livestock, and sent messages from their accounts to create the impression that they were still alive. Investigators also allege that he stole money and personal belongings from the victims.
Kursiv.media previously reported that during earlier hearings, Sarsemaliyev pleaded guilty to the murders of four relatives of his wife, claiming he committed the crime in an attempt to save his family.
The trial is ongoing.
