Russian 'Chessboard Killer' Offers to Confess to 11 More Murders
Alexander Pichushkin, already serving a life sentence for 48 murders, could see his victim count rise to 59, making him Russia's second most prolific serial killer if new confessions are verified.
- Alexander Pichushkin, known as the 'Chessboard Killer,' has expressed willingness to confess to 11 additional murders, according to the Russian penitentiary service.
- Pichushkin is currently imprisoned in the Polar Owl prison in the Russian Arctic, serving a life sentence since his 2007 conviction for 48 murders and 3 attempted murders.
- His nickname stems from his stated ambition to kill 64 people, corresponding to the number of squares on a chessboard.
- If the additional murders are confirmed, Pichushkin's victim count would rise to 59, making him the second most prolific serial killer in Russia after Mikhail Popkov, who was convicted of 78 murders.
- The new confessions could reopen investigations into unsolved murders in Moscow's Bitsevsky Park, where Pichushkin targeted vulnerable individuals such as the homeless, alcoholics, and the elderly.
Ouest-France 
Le Figaro 