A Russian national who was recently arrested for killing two Russian women in Goa on Friday morning (16th January) has led to a shocking revelation that he may have murdered two more women from his country as well, according to officials. While police have cautioned that these claims are yet to be verified, the disclosures have raised serious concerns and expanded the scope of the investigation.
The accused, identified as Alexei Leonov, is currently in police custody. Officers familiar with his questioning told investigators that many of his statements appear inconsistent and unclear, and cannot be accepted without strong evidence. However, police are now examining whether Leonov could be linked to as many as 5 deaths in Goa.
A 37-year-old Russian national, Alexey (Aleksei) Leonov, has been arrested by Goa Police for allegedly killing two Russian women in separate incidents in North Goa after disputes.
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) January 17, 2026
After the first killing, Leonov allegedly travelled to Arambol, about eight kilometres away, on the… pic.twitter.com/FYZ3YtQ84m
Police flag “psychopathic” behaviour pattern
According to police sources, Leonov has shown signs of psychopathic tendencies during interrogation. Investigators said he claimed to have a pattern of befriending foreign nationals, mostly women from Russia. As per his disclosures, he killed the victims either by slitting their throats or suffocating them.
Two victims have already been officially identified. They are Elena Kasthanova (37) and Elena Vaneeva (37), both Russian nationals whose deaths are being treated as confirmed murder cases.
Assam woman’s death under fresh scrutiny
Police are also re-examining the death of a 40-year-old woman from Assam, which was initially reported as an “unnatural death” on 14th January. While circumstantial evidence and Leonov’s statements suggest his possible involvement, police said the cause of death will be confirmed only after a postmortem report.
Sources said Leonov told investigators that he had drugged the woman and later killed her using a wooden stick. However, officials stressed that these claims still need forensic confirmation.
Body traced after fresh confession
In another disclosure, Leonov reportedly told police that he had killed a Russian woman last month. Acting on this information, police traced the body of a foreign woman whose death was reported as “unnatural” in December 2025. Investigators said an autopsy and further investigation will be required to determine whether the death was a murder and whether Leonov is connected to it.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said investigators are being cautious. “We cannot blindly believe everything he says. Just knowing someone who later died does not automatically mean he is responsible for their death,” the officer said.
Leonov has also claimed involvement in the killing of another Russian woman, but police said no body matching that description has been found so far.
Police confirm motive in two murders
According to an official statement issued by the Goa Police on Saturday, 17th January, Leonov has confessed to having murdered two Russian women, Elena Kasthanova and Elena Vaneeva. The police informed that Leonov was a close friend of both victims, and the motive behind the murder was a monetary dispute.
Leonov also went on to say that he was in a relationship with both of them and had been staying with them. The police added that all these claims are subject to verification and hence should not be taken for granted.
One investigator said that while financial disagreements could have only served as the trigger for the confirmed murders, Leonov also seemed to develop obsessive relationships with the victims, which may have contributed to the crimes.
Details of the two confirmed murders
Kasthanova, a go-go dancer and wedding usher, had come to Goa on 24th December last year. Her body was discovered at her rented home in Arambol around 9.15 pm on Thursday (15th January). Leonov assaulted her, tied her hands behind her back with a rope, and slit her throat using a sharp weapon, said the FIR.
Vaneeva, a bubble performer and artist, came to Goa last week and soon became friends with Leonov. Police said she was murdered late Wednesday night (14th January), sometime after 11 pm, by slitting her throat with a sharp knife.
Leonov was remanded to 14-day police custody, with investigators stating that more questioning will take place as they attempt to establish whether he is linked to other state deaths.
