Former Russian policeman shoots politician wife’s family dead

The bodies of two women and a man, all bearing injuries, have been found in a private home in the city of Taganrog, southern Russia, the Russian Investigative Committee’s information centre reported on Thursday.

According to the Baza Telegram channel, a 44-year-old named Yevgeny killed his wife’s father, mother, and grandmother, shooting the latter two with a rifle, before fleeing the scene together with his father. The murder stemmed from the couple’s divorce proceedings, amid disputes over dividing their shared property and the custody of their three children.

The man was eventually detained in the regional capital Rostov. Yevgeny, who works as the director of a driving school, previously served in law enforcement. According to local residents, he was fired in 2002 for beating up a person.

His wife, Oksana, is a city council member representing the pro-Putin United Russia party.