Ex-boyfriend confesses to killing Russian influencer, whose body was found in a suitcase: 'I am ashamed of myself'

Social media influencer, Yekaterina Semochkina, was found dead in her apartment on Saturday. (Photo: Instagram)
Social media influencer, Yekaterina Semochkina, was found dead in her apartment on Saturday. (Photo: Instagram)

08/01/2019 UPDATE: The ex-boyfriend of an Instagram influencer found dead on Saturday has confessed to killing her, according to Fox News and Russian daily Moskovsky Komsomolets.

The suspect, Maksim Gareev, went to court on Thursday where he reportedly apologized to Yekaterina Semochkina’s parents for the death of their daughter and told reporters, “I am ashamed of myself.” He went on to explain that the killing was allegedly not premeditated but was instigated when he experienced uncontrollable aggression while visiting her apartment.

Russia’s Investigative Committee posted a video of Gareev’s interrogation to YouTube.

MK reported that Gareev’s lawyer plans to have the man undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

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A Russian influencer with nearly 100,000 Instagram followers was found dead in her apartment on Saturday, according to The Independent and CNN.

The Russian Ministry of Interior (MVD) confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that an arrest has been made in connection to the killing of Yekaterina Semochkina, after her body was discovered in a suitcase in a residential apartment over the weekend.

“As a result of operational search activities, the police officers at the Moscow Directorate of the MVD of Russia in Moscow established the location and arrested the suspect in the murder of a female social media personality in the apartment of a residential building on Pyryeva Street," Irina Volk, the official spokesperson for the MVD, told CNN. "He has now been brought in for questioning."

Semochkina, who is better known as her online pseudonym Yekaterina Karaglanova and her Instagram handle @katti_loves_life, was reportedly found with multiple stab wounds just days before her 25th birthday. And although Russian law enforcement didn’t disclose a motive behind her killing, CNN reports that the state television channel responsible for reporting information from Russian law enforcement made mention of Semochkina’s plans for an upcoming birthday trip, which she had already started packing for in the suitcase where she was ultimately found.

The Independent reports that Semochkina was in a new relationship and CCTV footage shows her ex-boyfriend visiting her apartment near the time of the crime. Police didn’t identify the suspect.

The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top law-enforcement body, additionally told CNN that relatives contacted Semochkina’s landlord after not being able to reach her and asked for access to her apartment.

According to her Instagram, Semochkina was a dermatologist and the 1st runner up for Miss Moscow City. Her last Instagram post is from July 22, where she talked about her love for travel and her latest trip to Corfu Island in Greece.

A spokesperson for Instagram tells Yahoo Lifestyle that they have a process in place called memorialization that allows the family members of a deceased person to either memorialize or delete that person’s Instagram account. As of Wednesday evening, Semochkina’s account remains open. “Rip beautiful angel,” one fan wrote.

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