Alexander and Viktor Zhizhich

On January 7, 2003, the brothers found themselves in the town of Sokol. After disembarking from the train, they came across a 74-year-old pensioner, and the trio struck up a conversation. The brothers claimed to have been mugged, with both personal documents and all their money stolen in the process They begged the woman for bread so as not to starve. The woman went to a nearby shop, bought them some bread, and invited them to her home, where she provided her unfortunate guests with a room. Unbeknownst to her, on the first night, Alexander and Viktor noticed a small color television in her bedroom, which they determined to steal. Their conversation was overheard by the woman through the walls, but this failed to prevent them from executing their plan. The pair grabbed a knife and a small wooden hammer from the kitchen, entered the pensioner's room, and punched, kicked, and beat her to death. After killing the woman, the Zhizhich brothers collected the woman's belongings, including the television, a pair of glasses, clothing, rice, sugar, and curtains, totalling to 6,000 rubles. To cover their tracks, they scattered dry grass and newspapers around the house and set them on fire, burning the house to the ground.

Alexander Viktorovich Zhizhich (Russian: Александр Викторович Жижич; born 1979) and Viktor Viktorovich Zhizhich (Russian: Виктор Викторович Жижич; born 1976) are Belarusian-Russian serial killers of Polish descent who murdered three people in the Vologda Oblast between January and October 2003. Alexander Zhizhich committed two additional murders in Arkhangelsk. The brothers were found guilty after trial, with Alexander receiving a life sentence and Viktor sentenced to 23 years imprisonment.