Goa’s coastal belt is reeling this morning, Saturday, January 17, 2026, after a chilling double murder case came to light in the northern villages of Arambol and Morjim.
The thing is, the suspect, 37-year-old Russian national Alexei Leonov, is already in custody. Or nothing. Let’s be real, the details emerging from the Mandrem police station are straight out of a nightmare. Those too. Police say Leonov, who reportedly worked as a fire display performer, killed two of his compatriots—both women named Elena and both aged 37—in separate attacks within 24 hours.
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The “Pernem Murders” Log: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where investigators are trying to piece together a motive for these brutal, identical killings.
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The First Victim: Elena Vaneeva was killed late on January 14 in her rented room at Morjim. The thing is, her landlady heard nothing until it was too late. Leonov reportedly slit her throat with a sharp knife and left.
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The Second Victim: The next evening, January 15, Leonov allegedly went to Arambol to meet his live-in partner, Elena Kasthanova. And here’s the kicker—police found her hands tied behind her back with rope before her throat was also slit. Those too.
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The Escape: A neighbor heard Kasthanova’s screams and rushed to help. The thing is, Leonov didn’t wait around; he reportedly jumped from the first-floor balcony and vanished into the night before being tracked down by police early Friday morning.
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The “Twin” Tragedy: Both women were the same age, from the same country, and died in the exact same manner. The thing is, Vaneeva’s body was only found 40 hours later in a “decomposed and bloated” state because she lived alone.
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Case File: North Goa Double Murder (Jan 2026)
| Detail | Elena Vaneeva (Victim 1) | Elena Kasthanova (Victim 2) |
| Location | Morjim Village | Arambol Village |
| Date of Attack | Wednesday, Jan 14 | Thursday, Jan 15 |
| Modus Operandi | Slit throat (Knife) | Tied up, slit throat |
| Accused | Alexei Leonov (37) | Alexei Leonov (37) |
| Police Station | Mandrem / Morjim | Mandrem / Morjim |
And Here’s the Kicker…
Leonov was in India on a business visa, while Kasthanova had only just arrived on a tourist visa on Christmas Eve. The thing is, the Russian expatriate community in North Goa is in total shock. Those too. Morjim and Arambol are usually seen as safe havens for long-stay travelers, but this “slasher-style” violence has everyone locking their doors.
It’s an ongoing situation where the motive remains a total blank. The thing is, Leonov told police he was “friendly” with both women, but a volatile argument with Kasthanova reportedly triggered the final attack.
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End…
