0:00
This is Anastasia Gishman, a Russian gamer, model, and tattoo artist who looked full of life. However, behind the
0:07
screen, well, let's just say that things were a little different. And this is Anna Leovich. On Instagram, she appeared
0:15
to be stylish, successful, and living her best life. But what you're seeing here, that polished, created version of
0:21
herself, was actually nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion. As you will see through these two stories, the
0:28
reality behind these influencers is not actually glamorous. In fact, it's grotesque.
0:35
Welcome, or welcome back to Coffee House Crime, folks. My name is Adrian, and today we're looking at two disturbing
0:41
cases where online facads hid chilling realities. One of these stories is about a woman who vanished while her social
0:47
media just seemed to keep on posting, and the other of a daughter who shocked the world and they realized what she was
0:54
capable of. Actually, in hindsight, after researching both of these cases, I guess you could say that both of them
0:59
started online, but ended in bloodshed. Before we begin, if you enjoy true crime, strange or chilling stories, then
1:05
please consider subscribing if you haven't yet, as I post up to twice a week. Oh, and if you're here for only
1:11
one of the stories today, then I'll leave the timestamps here. And now, with that said, please grab yourself a coffee
1:16
and get ready because this is the case of Anna Leovich.
1:22
Our
1:29
first story today takes us to Eastern Europe, a region rich in history, shaped by shifting borders, and filled with
1:36
many cultures. We begin in the country of Muldova. With a population of only 2.5 million residents, Muldo might seem
1:44
unassuming at first glance. However, it's a country that is filled with a deep sense of national pride. Despite
1:51
facing long-standing economic and political challenges, it has a very vibrant culture, one that is influenced
1:57
by both its Romanian roots and a unique blend of Latin and Slavic traditions.
2:03
However, Muldova does struggle with the challenge of immigration because, as it turns out, more than a quarter of the
2:09
country's population lives or works abroad. Even still, its global footprint reaches far beyond its borders,
2:16
especially in the digital world. By the way, who remembers this old tune from the early 2000s? Ozone's Drag Stay
2:23
Dente, which is better known as Numa Numa, is perhaps one of Muldova's most iconic tracks with over 700 million
2:30
views to this day and of course still counting. Oh, and then there's Muldova's
2:35
unforgettable Eurovision moment, Runa Away. However, again, this is better
2:40
known as the epic sax guy. The online world really is a strange place, but
2:45
it's not going anywhere. At times, it can be brilliant and hilarious, but just as often deceptive and even dangerous.
2:52
If it's not trolls or negativity, it's stalkers or scammers or even people digging through your personal info like
2:59
it's some sort of public library. Because honestly, it is quite scary how much people can find out about you just
3:05
simply by putting your name into Google. Have you ever wondered how scammers get your number or why your inbox is filled
3:10
with so many bloody annoying emails? Well, this is probably why. The world of
3:15
the internet is far greedier than you may think. Data brokers love to sell your data to marketers and scammers
3:22
without your consent, all in the name of profit. Meanwhile, they're making billions of dollars in the process. Now,
3:28
technically, they are required to remove your data if you ask them to, but it's often rare to find them, and they
3:35
intentionally make the process difficult for you. Googling myself comes up with all sorts of results. But what really
3:41
bothers me is that when I type my personal email address into Google, there are many websites that hold my
3:47
name, email, and various other details that are all at the ready for someone to buy. And seeing that made me feel quite
3:54
violated, even unsafe, which is what brings me to today's sponsor, Aura. Seriously, these guys do all of the
4:00
heavy lifting when it comes to protecting your digital privacy. Basically, automatically removing your
4:05
personal info from all data brokers and then keeping it off. Now personally I believe that privacy is important but in
4:12
a world where we are infinitely connected to companies and corporations through the internet it is almost
4:18
impossible to protect my data alone. In fact did you know that by the year 2030
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the global data broker market is expected to hit more than $615 billion US. And that's why I chose Aura to help
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protect my data. But that is only the start. If you need a VPN done want real-time fraud alerts they have you
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covered. And if your personal info shows up on the dark web, they'll notify you right away. I'm not leaving myself
4:43
exposed online, and you shouldn't either. So, if you want to try Aura for free for 14 days, go to
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aura.com/copyhouse crime. In only 2 weeks, you'll see exactly where all of your data seems to
4:54
be floating around online and how Aura can help you get rid of it. That's aura.com/copyhouse
5:00
crime. Thank you, Aura, for sponsoring today's video. And of course, thank you folks for listening. And now, let's get
5:06
straight back to this case. So, as you can probably tell already, not everything that comes from the
Case One
5:11
internet is as harmless as a viral dancing video. And both of these stories serve as great examples. It was in
5:18
December of 2020 and in the Muldoven city of Comrade that police received a harrowing phone call. One that would
5:24
lead them to a crime scene so gruesome and deeply disturbing that it would test even the most seasoned of officers. And
5:32
well, let's just say that it stood in complete contrast to the carefully created image of the person who was
5:38
actually the center of it all. The phone call came from a young man in a state of absolute panic. His voice was frantic as
5:45
he explained that his girlfriend had told him something so disturbing and outrageous that initially he actually
5:51
thought she was joking. But the more that he thought about it, the more that it gnawed away at his conscience. And so
5:58
with it plaguing his mind, he decided to travel to her house while she was asleep in his bed. And unfortunately, what he
6:05
found while there would confirm his biggest fears. As a result, he called the police immediately. And when
6:12
officers arrived, nothing could have prepared them for what they were just about to walk into. Inside of the
6:18
apartment was a scene that was so gruesome and deeply unsettling that several of the officers would later say
6:24
it was the most horrifying crime scene they have ever witnessed. Lying in the middle of a blood soaked room was the
6:31
body of a woman. She had clearly been dead for multiple hours and sadly there
6:37
was no chance of medical intervention. Her torso had been split wide open by a
6:42
deep vertical wound which ran down from the center of her chest through to her groin. And even more disturbingly, all
6:49
of her organs had been scattered around her body. According to the investigators, the scene just defied all
6:56
words, and the brutality that they had experienced was straight out of a horror movie. It didn't take long for officers
7:01
to identify the victim as 40-year-old Prosvia Leovich, who happened to be the homeowner. So, it turns out that
7:08
Proskovia lived here with her 21-year-old daughter named Anna, who by the way was the girlfriend of the man
7:13
who called the police merely hours prior. And based off of her recent confession, well, let's just say that
7:20
officers were more concerned about their safety rather than hers. But before we get ahead of ourselves here, who
7:26
precisely were Anna and Presia Leovich? Beginning with her mother, Prescavia was
7:33
a devoted and loving parent. She gave birth to Anna when she was only 19 years
7:38
old. And although her father, Vasili Allidovv, was technically in the picture, he unfortunately was basically
7:45
never present for her. You see, Vasili was a wealthy land and farm owner with many ambitions of his own. So much so
7:53
that he even ran for governor of a local region in 2019. And although he would
7:58
never succeed, his multiple business empire was successful enough to financially support the family. While
8:04
money could never replace love or emotional connection, it did give Prescavia one crucial advantage here,
8:10
the ability to raise her daughter in relative stability, even as a single parent. As a result, Anna attended good
8:17
schools, studied hard throughout all of her years in education, and eventually enrolled into university where she
8:24
studied medicine. And while we don't quite know which field she specialized in, one thing would soon become
8:29
disturbingly clear that Anna had a strong understanding of the human anatomy. And I'm not talking about the
8:35
kind of knowledge that helps with good back rubs, but more the kind that knows how to remove your heart without
8:40
flinching. Anna and her mother remained close while she grew up, but sadly many changes happened throughout her teenage
8:47
years, and well, in this case, not many of them were good. Prescovia began to notice some disturbing patterns. To
8:54
begin with, Anne would become obsessed with fashion and the finer things in life, which obviously is quite normal
9:00
for a young girl. But having a father who only knew how to love her by throwing money at her, Anna very quickly
9:06
became spoiled. Nowhere was this more obvious than on her social media. We're talking designer clothes, luxury
9:13
vacations, and a flawless appearance, likely with the help of many filters. Throughout the years, she became
9:19
increasingly obsessed with her appearance on Instagram, which at the time had amassed more than 6,000
9:25
followers. Obviously, these numbers aren't massive, but it was enough to make her feel like that she was gaining
9:31
traction. Her Instagram feed was filled with snapshots of luxury, including Gucci and Prada outfits, poolside
9:38
cocktails, and dozens of dazzling beaches all over Europe. It was a curated highlight of beauty, wealth, and
9:45
status. and Anna would post frequently showing the world only what she wanted them to see. Of course, that being that
9:52
her life was apparently perfect. In the background, Anna dreamed of becoming an influencer, someone who could travel the
9:59
world, collaborate with brands, and maybe even rub shoulders with the elite, a life that wasn't built on academics or
10:06
hard work, but on image instead. Unfortunately, as she grew older, her obsession with social media grew.
10:12
Meanwhile, her university studies slowly started to fall apart. After all, when
10:17
you've been handed pretty much everything you've wanted in life, it is easy to forget the value of earning it.
10:23
But academics was not the only thing that Anna was now neglecting. Because behind the filters and edits, her
10:29
partyfueled lifestyle had now given way to alcohol and drugs. And eventually,
10:35
what started as the occasional Friday night drink would instead become the regular daily binge. While all of this
10:42
was going on, her mother watched on in horror as she saw Anna slip deeper and deeper into the throws of addiction. But
10:49
despite everything she tried to do to intervene, nothing seemed to get through. In fact, only one month before
10:56
the tragedy, Anna would even suffer an overdose. After that incident, both her
11:01
mother and grandmother desperately tried to help her. But Anna wasn't interested in changing. And whenever the topic
11:08
seemed to come up, she would explode with anger and even vanish for days at a time. And then came December of 2020,
11:15
and what once began as a beautiful relationship between her mother and her daughter had suddenly snapped into a
11:22
brutal and chaotic scene. So, it's no surprise that after finding
11:28
Prescia's body and also becoming aware of the horrifying confession, detectives quickly pinned Anna as the main suspect.
11:35
Now, naturally, the investigation began by reaching out to both friends and family, but strangely enough, nobody
11:41
seemed to know where she had gone. In fact, her social media remained radio silent, too, which only seemed to add
11:47
more suspicion to the mix. It kind of looked like she was trying to disappear. But the thing is that Anna really did
11:54
not have many places to run. However, as the hours turned into days, officers began to worry if maybe she had actually
12:01
managed to slip away. There were search teams looking for her high and low throughout all hours of the day. But it
12:07
appeared that maybe Anna was just as sneaky as she was dangerous. That would be until 3 days later when Anna was
12:13
finally found to be staying at a friend's apartment all along. And get this. But during the entire time, she
12:19
didn't seem to be stressed at all. According to her friend, she was totally calm for all three days. In fact, she
12:26
actually seemed cheerful. So after being tracked down, she of course was finally arrested on suspicion of murdering her
12:32
own mother. But from this point on, her behavior would actually only get worse.
12:37
From the very beginning, Anna didn't hold back. She openly admitted to the murder without any hesitation, shame, or
12:44
remorse. In fact, she apparently laid out all of the events in a calm and detailed manner. Kind of like just going
12:51
down to the shops to buy a pint of milk instead of, you know, murdering your mother. According to Anna, it all began
12:58
only a few days earlier when her mother was actually away on a work trip in Germany. With the house to herself, Anna
13:05
was now free to indulge in her usual habits. Of course, without the fear of being caught or judged, and obviously,
13:12
I'm not talking about late nights and junk food, but drugs and alcohol. When Prescavia returned home on the night of
13:19
December the 11th, she immediately sensed that something was off. Not only did she know her daughter very well, but
13:26
she could also tell when Anna was completely whacked out on drugs. When Prescavia confronted her about it, Anna
13:32
denied everything. And that is when the argument quickly spiraled. But the one thing to tip all of this over was
13:38
absolutely pathetic. All Prescavia did was try to convince Anna that she needed to go to hospital. And apparently that
13:46
was the breaking point in her mind. In a sudden drugfueled rage, Anna stormed into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and
13:53
then struck her mother in the chest. Prescia collapsed to the floor, bleeding heavily. But Anna, she wasn't finished.
14:01
What happened next can only be described as truly unthinkable. In a cold frenzy,
14:06
and using the knowledge that she had learned from medical school, she began to dissect her mother while she was
14:12
still alive. I'm going to avoid going into any graphic detail here, but as you know, one by one, she sliced her organs
14:20
out of her body. And once Anna was done, well, she simply laid the knife aside
14:25
and claimed that she felt nothing. No fear, no regret, not even sadness, just
14:31
nothing. And then she casually undressed, took a shower, did her makeup, and got redressed. Anna had
14:38
plans to go out that evening and so after contacting her boyfriend, she left the property, bought a bottle of
14:44
champagne, headed over to his place, engaged in sex, and then told him all
14:49
about her evening. Now, at first, he didn't actually believe his girlfriend. I mean, who
14:56
would anyway? Not only did her tone not match her words, but she sounded completely absurd. And so, he just
15:02
brushed it off as some sort of sick joke. However, when he asked for more details, well, that is when she clammed
15:09
up and refused to say anymore. Later that night, and once Anna had finally fallen asleep next to him, that is when
15:15
he decided to slip out of the house and check on Bruskovia. And of course, that was the moment that changed everything.
15:22
In a blind panic, he then picked up his phone and called the police. But by the time he and the officers finally got
15:28
back to his apartment, Anna was gone. of course, before then being found 3 days
15:33
later. After Anna's confession, the authorities had no doubt that she was responsible. As their sole suspect,
15:39
officers made it crystal clear to the media, saying, "Anna Leovich is the main suspect, and there is little to no
15:46
likelihood of any other suspects." With her confession at hand, things moved quite swiftly. And only 24 hours after
15:54
her arrest, she appeared in court. and this would be the first time that the world could see how vile and unreorseful
16:01
she really was. Despite the cameras being pointed at her, Anna acted as though the entire ordeal was nothing
16:07
more than an inconvenience. She lounged on courtroom benches, casually picked at
16:12
her fingernails, and even at one point pretended to take a nap. When the judge
16:18
entered, Anna didn't simply stand up. She climbed onto the bench itself, almost as if this was just another
16:24
classroom joke. And when she exited the courtroom, a journalist asked her, "Did you really kill your mother?" And her
16:31
response, well, she smiled and then laughed and with a light-hearted tone simply said goodbye. Obviously, this
16:39
erratic behavior when paired with the sheer brutality of her crime raised obvious concerns about her mental state.
16:46
I mean, I don't think it takes a psychologist to assume that she is seriously effed in the head. Even the
16:51
investigators were baffled. Her family and friends were just as equally stunned with her uncle Vladimir telling the
16:57
press, "Presia loved her daughter so much. She spent as much time as she possibly could with her. It only took 2
17:05
hours for the police to tell me that Anna was the main suspect. I could not even imagine this."
17:13
Alongside the obvious questions surrounding her mental health, there was one lingering mystery which no one could
17:18
wrap their heads around. Of course, that being what was her motive? Because this wasn't a stranger or someone who had
17:25
wronged Anna, but her very own mother, the only person who had actually been there to support her from the very
17:31
beginning. I mean, surely a disagreement over drugs couldn't actually push Anna into such a brutal rage, right? Well,
17:38
some believe this wasn't actually just one single thing, but rather a combination of deteriorating mental
17:43
health, heavy drug abuse, and untapped anger issues. And so before any trial date was actually even considered, Anna
17:50
was ordered to undergo a full psychiatric evaluation, of course, to determine if she was actually fit to
17:56
stand trial. The findings were disturbing because although Anna was intelligent and outwardly appeared to
18:02
function well within society, her emotional state was deeply fractured. It appeared that she lacked empathy and
18:09
struggled to understand or relate to other people. And so, according to experts, it is unlikely that she fully
18:15
grasped what she was doing that fateful night. Psychologists eventually concluded that Anna was not able to
18:22
correctly perceive the circumstances, which are important for a criminal case, therefore determining that she was
18:28
unable to testify. The results of her evaluation came only weeks after the
18:33
crime. And not only that, but the court seemed to be happy with it. That means that Anna will never actually face trial
18:40
for the murder of her mother. And here's the part that raised a lot of eyebrows. But the time between confession to
18:47
psychiatric diagnosis to final ruling was only 17 days. We may never know why
18:54
things moved so quickly. But it is worth highlighting again that Anna's father is a wealthy and influential man in
19:00
Muldova. So, it does kind of make you wonder were a few strings maybe quietly
19:06
pulled in the background. Rather than receiving any sort of prison time, Anna
19:11
was deemed to be not criminally responsible for her actions. And so, on December the 28th of 2021, she was
19:18
committed to a psychiatric institution where, at least for now, she begins treatment for what was described as a
19:25
severely disturbed mind. Naturally, this case made headlines across Muldova. And
19:30
in a weird twist of fate, Anna's social media would eventually explode, doubling in size and peaking at over 15,000
19:38
followers before her accounts were eventually taken offline.
19:44
And so, I guess in a way, Anna actually got what she had always wanted, that being fame. However, it wasn't really
19:51
the kind she was hoping for, because this is infamy instead. What truly drove Anna to murder her mother may never
19:57
actually be known. And with her mental state in such disarray, the motives may be buried so deep that she will never be
20:03
able to explain them. However, there is one thing that is for certain here. That Prescia absolutely adored her daughter.
20:11
She was devoted, attentive, and wanted the very best for Anna. And yet, she was
20:16
portrayed in the most terrific way possible. On the internet, Anna painted this glamorous lifestyle of success,
20:22
wealth, and beauty. However, behind that mask, she was just another killer in the
20:27
making. She wasn't just curating her image here. She was actually hiding a monster in plain sight. But it does make
20:33
you wonder what happens if the roles were actually reversed. I mean, in hindsight, it's now easy to look at Anna
20:39
and see her as materialistic, vain, narcissistic, and completely unreorseful. However, our next case,
20:46
things aren't so simple. And so, on that note, please grab yourself another coffee. This is the case of Anastasia
20:52
Gishman.
Case Two
21:03
Shifting away from Moldover, we now head northeast to the largest country on Earth, a vast and complex land which is
21:10
rich in culture, history, and haunting isolation. Of course, I'm talking about
21:15
Russia. While Russia is often associated with grand architecture, classical art, and sprawling uninhabited wilderness, it
21:23
is also known, particularly in recent years, as one of the world's most formidable political powerhouses. Today,
21:30
we're narrowing our focus to the country's western edge and to the port city of St. Petersburg. It's a cultural
21:37
capital nestled near the border of mainland Europe and a major gateway in and out of the nation. Now, thanks to
21:43
its global significance and steady tourism, crime in St. Petersburg is actually relatively low, at least on
21:50
paper. Apparently, most reported offenses involve corruption or bribery, with violent crime rate far less common
21:57
than you might expect. However, even murder still happens here. And on August the 9th, 2022, that horror would come
22:05
knocking once again. Police initially became informed of this case by an unsettling call coming from a young
22:11
woman. This person, whose identity still remains withheld for privacy, sounded distressed, frightened, and even worried
22:19
for her friend's safety. According to her, something awful had happened. She had been told that her friend named
22:25
Anastasia was dead and inside her own apartment. Now, at first, the story
22:31
sounded too far-fetched to be true. However, what made her take it seriously was Anastasia's strange and unsettling
22:38
behavior online in the days leading up to it. Something just didn't seem right.
22:44
And so, too afraid to investigate alone, the caller then asked the police to meet her at the apartment to check in. And
22:51
although the officers were understandably skeptical at first, what they were about to find on the morning
22:56
of August the 10th would change everything. Upon arrival, officers cautiously stepped inside of the
23:02
apartment and were immediately hit with the all too familiar stomach turning smell. The place was an absolute mess
23:08
with clothes, bags, and personal belongings scattered haphazardly across the floor. They called out for
23:14
Anastasia, however, there was no response. At first glance, the entire apartment seemed to be empty. But the
23:20
further they ventured inside, the stronger that smell became. Following their noses, it eventually led them to
23:26
the bathroom. And tragically, that is when they found her. Inside of the bathtub lay the lifeless body of a young
23:33
woman who seemed to be submerged in a pool of dried blood. And based on the state of her body, it seemed that she
23:40
had been lying there for at least a few days. It also appeared that she had suffered at least 22 separate injuries,
23:46
including 13 stab wounds to the head, neck, torso, and upper limbs. So, it's no surprise that officers immediately
23:53
ruled this to be a homicide. And based on how savage the attack was, it was clear that it was filled with severe
24:00
emotional rage. After the crime scene had been secured
24:05
by officers, and forensics began their work. The body was then formally identified by her friends to be
24:11
26-year-old Anastasia Gishman. But before we dive into the investigation of her brutal murder, let's first look at
24:18
who Anastasia really was. Because as it turns out, her story holds a lot of
24:23
hardship, resilience, and tragedy. Born on February the 7th, 1996 to her mother,
24:29
Elina, Anastasia experienced a hard life from the very beginning. Her father, who
24:34
was a severe alcoholic, walked out just before Anastasia was born, leaving Elina
24:39
to raise her daughter alone without any support or money. For the first few years, they would live in poverty,
24:45
moving between hosts or sleeping on couches. Elena picked up work wherever she could find it. But that did mean
24:52
that Anastasia was often left alone for long stretches of time. And by the time that she was actually old enough to
24:58
speak, she was also learning how to survive. Anastasia cooked her own food, brushed her teeth without being taught,
25:05
and learned how to navigate the world in ways that a child never should have to. When she was only 12 years old, her
25:11
mother had to make the hard decision to send her to live with her grandparents in the nearby town of Kulpino, which is
25:18
situated about 30 minutes outside of St. Petersburg. Although it was hard for Elena, it was actually a lifeline for
25:24
Anastasia. She barely knew her grandparents, but they would check in from time to time, and Elena saw this as
25:31
an opportunity for stability for her daughter. However, this move would come with a new kind of distance. And where
25:38
Elena would see her daughter once every weekend, that eventually changed to once a month and then ultimately nothing at
25:45
all. You see, Elena was still busy chasing her own survival. She moved to other cities, took on more jobs, and
25:52
then eventually remarried, too. And that sense of abandonment left deep scars in
25:57
Anastasia. As a teenager, she became both quiet and withdrawn. and that emotional pain began to manifest
26:04
physically as tragically that is when she would develop an eating disorder. But the good news is that despite her
26:11
mother deciding to step away, her grandmother decided to step up instead.
26:16
She became the support that Anastasia so desperately needed, offering the one thing that she had long gone without, of
26:23
course, that being care. And not only would she help Anastasia through her disorder, but she would even nurture her
26:30
creativity and give her the space that she needed to grow. And as it turns out, Anastasia was actually a very talented
26:37
artist and through her teenage years filled out many sketchbooks and canvases. And recognizing that creative
26:44
fire inside of her, her grandmother tried to do everything she could to help that talent flourish. But Anastasia's
26:50
art didn't stay confined to just paper or canvas. No, her favorite medium was actually skin. Okay, maybe that sounded
26:57
a little bit creepy when said out loud, but of course, what I'm talking about here is tattoos. At only 15 years old,
27:03
she asked her grandmother for her first tattoo, which by the way is 3 years before the legal age. And while most
27:10
guardians would have likely said no, her grandmother didn't. What she saw instead was a young girl who was desperate for
27:16
some sort of direction. And so she agreed. And together she went with Anastasia to get her very first tattoo.
27:22
That single moment seemed to spark something deep in Anastasia because from that point onward, tattoos would not
27:29
only be a hobby. They became a core part of her identity and a driving force behind the life that she would build. By
27:36
her late teens, Anastasia had turned her passion into a career. She landed an apprenticeship at a local tattoo parlor,
27:44
all while juggling her studies in college, where she would take on courses in both computer programming and car
27:50
mechanics. I mean, not only was she a tattoo artist and a petrol head, but a gamer and an entrepreneur, too. Her
27:57
abilities really did seem to be limitless. This is when her interests and personality began to shine through
28:03
in her appearance. She started to dye her hair brightly, made bold fashion choices, and of course, rocked both
28:10
piercings and tattoos. And at the age of 16, Anastasia also stepped into the
28:15
online world, joining VK, which is the Russian equivalent of Facebook. It is here that she would share the things
28:21
that she loved the most, including anime, video games, fashion, makeup, and
28:26
all things creative. Her posts seem to have a spark to them, a kind of magnetic energy, so to speak. And her unique
28:33
style paired with her open personality would help her quickly build a dedicated following. And then in the year 2014,
28:40
and at only 18 years old, she finally completed her studies. With an education
28:46
and a growing fan base behind her, she moved back to St. Petersburg, determined to become a full-time professional
28:52
tattoo artist. And she didn't just talk the talk here because Anastasia really
28:57
was her art. Her body was covered in tattoos, most of them, which she actually inked herself. Of course, the
29:04
only area left untouched was her back for obvious reasons that she couldn't reach it. I mean, that would have been
29:10
pretty impressive, but I wouldn't have put it past her. Branding herself as Gishman, she built herself a name from
29:15
the ground up. And it didn't take long for her reputation to grow. Her social media absolutely exploded. And by 2019,
29:23
at only 23 years old, she had more than 290,000 followers on Tik Tok, a huge number at
29:30
the time, especially in Russia. Anastasia really was on her way to success. She was independent, creative,
29:38
and steadily building the life that she not only wanted, but also deserved, too.
29:43
So, the question is, how did she go from thriving to lifeless in a bathtub?
29:51
For those who knew Anastasia well, many realized that something seemed to be off in the days leading up to her discovery.
29:57
For example, many of her recent posts just didn't seem to add up. A lot of the photos used were taken days or even
30:04
weeks before, and the captions felt oddly unfamiliar. And as for all of her replies to her messages, well, they just
30:11
seemed short, distant, and robotic. I mean, they genuinely felt like they had been written by another person, and many
30:17
of her friends noticed this. Things took an even sharper turn when Anastasia's partner began to say some deeply
30:22
unsettling things. Dimmitri told people that Anastasia was extremely depressed,
30:28
not just recently, but for the most of her adult life. which sadly wasn't a surprise because Anastasia had been
30:34
quite open about that. But what did come next afterwards surprised them because according to him, Anastasia had once
30:41
asked him that if she were to become too miserable, then she would like him to end her life instead, which is odd right
30:48
now. At first, all of their friends told him to just shut up and stop making weird jokes because surely no one would
30:55
actually ever say that. However, Dimmitri doubled down and said that Anastasia had basically been begging him
31:01
to do it recently because apparently she couldn't handle it anymore. He basically said that she wanted him to end her pain
31:08
and according to him, he actually did it. That is when her friends suddenly fell silent. Dimmitri claimed that he
31:15
had Anastasia at her request and had done so a few days prior. But this bizarre almost casual confession set off
31:23
huge alarm bells amongst her friends. Understandably horrified, they called the police. And it was those tips that
31:30
led them to the grim discovery. But who precisely was Dimmitri Chernishoff? And
31:35
how did he go from being a client to a killer? Well, as you can see from these photos, Dimmitri had his own fair share
31:43
of ink all over his body. It was around September of 2021 that he was in the
31:48
market for a new tattoo. At the time, he was actually in another long-term relationship with a woman named
31:53
Margarita. But after growing tired of being a basic pizza, Margarita decided it was time to spice things up with a
32:00
fresh tattoo as her new topping of choice. She had heard of a new and upcoming artist in the St. Petersburg
32:07
area. That of course being Anastasia. And so after getting her own tattoo, she then recommended her to Dimmitri. In
32:14
hindsight, I can promise you that she regretted that decision. And I am sure you can see where this is going. The
32:20
nature of tattooing, especially for a large piece, means hours of sitting together, chatting, and bonding. And
32:26
with Dimmitri's tattoo being a huge backpiece, that is exactly what happened. While Anastasia worked on his
32:32
design, the two discovered that they actually had a lot in common. They both loved alternative fashion. Both shared a
32:38
taste for the same music, both enjoyed anime and video games, and also were massive petrol heads. And perhaps even
32:46
more crucially, both of them had lost their mothers at a young age. And that shared grief, also known as trauma
32:52
bonding, and their overlapping interests formed a deep connection. And of course, from there, things began to blur. By the
32:59
way, back to Margarita for a moment, but can you imagine having a tattoo from someone that you absolutely hate? That
33:06
must suck. Anyway, Dimmitri Shernes was born on February the 15th, 1998, making
33:12
him physically 2 years younger than Anastasia. and probably mentally a few years younger too. During his childhood,
33:19
he was lovingly raised by both of his parents, but sadly that wouldn't last very long when Dmitri was still a child.
33:25
His mother tragically passed away, which unfortunately marked the beginning of major shifts in his life. His father
33:32
eventually remarried, but for Dmitri, it only added more confusion and distance.
33:37
He was described as a quiet, introverted kid and someone who mostly kept to himself. And as he entered his teenage
33:44
years, he began to close himself off from the rest of the world around him. Instead, deciding to retreat into the
33:51
digital one. Online, Dmitri found space to express his thoughts, often through poetry. But his writing seemed to have a
33:58
much darker edge as a lot of it centered around death, isolation, and pain. So,
34:03
looking back into his teens, there were clear signs of a morbid fascination. However, there were other red flags,
34:09
too, because it seems that his social media was filled with misogyny, and he would often post things like girlfriend
34:16
requirements, which included strict weight limits and appearance-based criteria. And honestly, I don't know who
34:22
he thought he was. By the time he reached adulthood, Dimmitri had already found himself in
34:28
trouble with the law twice, racking up two criminal charges, including theft and evading military service. You see,
34:35
military service is actually mandatory for all young Russian men. And dodging it isn't merely frowned upon. It's
34:42
actually a criminal offense. And by the way, it comes with real life consequences, too, including a ban on
34:48
leaving the country. But of course, he didn't actually tell Anastasia any of that. Instead, he would talk about his
34:54
income and that he worked in IT, namely in programming and web design, which technically is true. But it turns out
35:00
this was not actually his main source of income because Dimmitri had a second and far more controversial profession. I'm
35:07
going to give you a couple seconds to guess what it possibly could be here. But as it turns out, Dimmitri was
35:12
actually making Only Fans content with his then girlfriend Margarita. Oh boy, we really are talking about Only Fans
35:19
again, aren't we? Now again, in Russia, pornography is quite literally outright illegal. Not just the production of it,
35:26
but even the consumption. And so you can likely imagine that if you were to make this sort of content and then try to
35:32
sell it, it is literally punishable by jail time. Now, of course, that doesn't stop many people. And for Dimmitri, it
35:38
merely meant living a double life. One wrong move, however, and he could end up behind bars. But Anastasia, she didn't
35:45
mind. Anyway, over the course of these tattoo sessions, the two bonded quickly,
35:52
exchanging phone numbers, messaging online, and then even hanging out at local car meets. Their connection
35:58
deepened, and before long, things began to take a rather romantic turn. Unsurprisingly, Margarita was very
36:05
unhappy by this. She began to suspect that something was going on, and their relationship would rather quickly turn
36:12
toxic. And while Dmitri didn't seem to care about Margarita or her distress, Anastasia surprisingly did. Not long
36:19
after that, things between Dmitri and Margarita officially ended. And then Anastasia stepped into her place. The
36:26
pair made their relationship public, and from that moment on, their lives became increasingly intertwined, for better or
36:33
more accurately worse. After that, Dimmitri quickly slipped into the role of being her manager, handling
36:39
Anastasia's business in the background. By now, she had amassed almost 300,000
36:45
followers on Instagram and Tik Tok and had a steady list of clients at the tattoo parlor to boot. Overwhelmed by
36:52
the success that she was finding, Dmitri took over. He scheduled her posts, managed her brand deals, scheduled her
36:58
bookings, and helped create content. Now, on the surface, things looked good.
37:03
However, they were also moving very quickly because only 5 months into the relationship and in February of 2022,
37:11
they decided to get married. But soon after tying the knot, things began to change. As you may remember, Dimmitri
37:18
liked to film adult content. However, with Margarita now out of the picture, well, he needed a new partner. And
37:26
surprisingly, that is when Anastasia decided to step into the role. Despite the illegal connotations behind it, she
37:33
actually seemed quite unbothered. In fact, she would even agree to go on national television to talk about this
37:39
new career path, appearing on a Russian talk show called Beyond the Edge. Think Dr. Phil or the Jeremy Kyle show, but
37:46
with even fewer boundaries. She approached this episode as some sort of opportunity and a chance to talk openly
37:53
about her choices in life and confront the stigma headon. However, the producers had other plans. And from the
37:59
moment that she walked on stage, well, it was clear that she had been set up. The tone was accusatory and all of the
38:06
questions seemed to be hostile. Not only that, but the hosts painted her as a tattooed rebel who was spiraling out of
38:13
control. And to make matters even worse, they brought back up. Multiple psychologists were invited to assess her
38:20
live on air. And then, as if the drama needed one final twist, Anastasia's
38:25
mother had been secretly invited on, too. All of a sudden, Anastasia was exposed
38:32
not only to the entire country, but to her very own mother. But this was not a fair reflection of her, and the
38:39
television producers had distorted her into an entirely different person. Even before she stepped on stage, the damage
38:45
had already been done. Because it turns out that the host had preemptively interviewed her mother. And when asked
38:51
what she thought about her daughter's career, well, she was disappointed to say the least. And look, I know that
38:57
some of us weren't actually agree with her choices anyway, but it was very clear that the moment Anastasia stepped
39:02
on stage, she wasn't there to be heard. She was merely there to be judged and ridiculed. Surrounded by loaded
39:09
questions and mockery, she became defensive quite quickly. I mean, who wouldn't anyway, she could quite
39:14
literally see the trap that she had walked into. However, the real blow was still yet to come. Moments later,
39:21
outwalked Margarita, and let me tell you, she was not a happy pizza. She claimed that not only had Dimmitri used
39:28
her, but now was doing the same thing to Anastasia. And to inflame the situation even more, she also claimed that he
39:35
pressured all of his partners into sex work for his own gain. And Margarita wasn't done yet. She accused him of
39:42
physical abuse, including both hitting and even strangling her during the relationship. Honestly, the entire
39:48
episode was a train wreck and probably exactly what the producers had hoped for. There was drama, scandal, and
39:56
anger, all at the expense of real people and their reputations. And the worst
40:01
part of all of it was that no one stopped to think about the fallout because only 3 months after this episode
40:08
aired, Anastasia Gishman was dead. Now, much like our previous case, there
40:15
was only one real suspect in mind. Of course, that being Dmitri. The authorities began by questioning
40:21
Anastasia's friends, and they claimed that when they talked to Dmitri about it, he begged them not to go to the
40:27
police and promised that he was going to sort it. Now, to be honest with you, I have no idea how that excuse could make
40:33
anyone turn around and simply say, "Okay." But apparently, it worked. However, here's the thing. Only a couple
40:39
days after saying this, he then quietly renewed the lease on the apartment that he shared with Anastasia. So, if his
40:47
plan really was to just disappear, then why lock in another year of rent? Oh,
40:52
and also, let's not forget that Dmitri couldn't actually leave the country, and so any hope of him running away was
40:58
essentially zero. And so, the great manhunt for Dimmitri finally began. However, it wouldn't actually take long
41:05
for officers to find him because the next day, they found him in a hotel only 30 minutes from the apartment. After
41:12
being arrested, Dimmitri was both quick to defend himself and to throw Anastasia under the bus. He claimed that not only
41:19
had she grown distant, but also close to someone new, that being a fellow Tik Tocker named Krill. Although there is no
41:26
evidence to prove that this was anything more than a friendship, it is true that the two were spending a lot of time
41:32
together. She had also confided in Carol about the strain in her relationship and
41:37
that she had plans to escape. Drawing from her love of Asian culture, she had actually began to prepare to move to
41:44
South Korea, quietly selling off all of her belongings, including her cars, and building a secret bank account. And by
41:51
the way, all of this was without Dimmitri's knowledge. However, what Dimmitri did notice was her growing
41:58
infatuation with Carol. And from what investigators have gathered, that ignited a deep burning jealousy. I mean,
42:05
basically, he got angry at his own medicine. Anyway, this bozo claimed that Anastasia had asked him to end her life,
42:12
but the evidence did not support this. And besides, even if it had been the case, it is still illegal. I could also
42:18
tell you his own version of what happened that fateful night in detail. But honestly, it's sloppy dil.
42:26
What you do need to know is that during the time that his girlfriend laid dead in the bathtub, Dimmitri continued to
42:32
run all of her accounts and message people to buy himself time. He would even pretend to be her and message Carol
42:39
to say that she was breaking up with him simply so he could rewrite his own pathetic story. The good news is that it
42:45
took only 5 months to build a case against Dimmitri. And in January of 2023, he finally went on trial and
42:53
without any reasonable defense, he pleaded guilty. And unfortunately, here comes the bad news. How do you think
42:59
Russia punishes a man who murdered his wife? Well, in Dmitri's case, he received a horrifying 8 years behind
43:06
bars. For context, we've seen plenty of Americans go to prison for longer than 8 years simply for selling domestic
43:13
quantities of weed. And here's another example, but in Saudi Arabia, a journalist was sentenced to 10 years
43:18
behind bars and a thousand lashes simply for debating Islamic religion on an online blog. However, apparently in
43:25
Russia, murder is way less punishable, allegedly. The silver lining here is that he'll be staying at IK3, also known
43:33
as Polar Wolf. And Polar Wolf is known to be one of the most brutal gulags in the entire country. Temperatures here
43:40
can drop as low as -30° C or -22F. The prison has no central heating, and
43:47
to rub salt into the wound, many of the prison cells have radiators painted on the walls. With unsanitary conditions,
43:55
frequent beatings, and food more bland than a Zoom meeting about beige paint, this prison is seriously brutal. With
44:02
inmates being made to walk outside in the cold for hours in little clothing, sometimes even none. So, while Dmitri
44:10
was only sentenced to 8 years behind bars, those 8 years will likely be nothing short of hell. And there is
44:16
every chance that he won't be the same man who first walked through those gates. Even so, no amount of suffering
44:23
on Dimmitri's part can ever make up for what he did because nothing will be able to bring Anastasia back to the life that
44:30
she was only just beginning to build. It's obvious that she had already been looking forward to a fresh start away
44:37
from Dmitri. She had dreamed of living abroad and even opening her own tattoo parlor in South Korea because before
44:44
him, that was what she loved to do. She was an artist and even in her darkest moments, that is what gave her joy. Yes,
44:52
she was struggling with her mental health, but she was working on it and rebuilding and slowly making her way
44:58
back to well, just being Anastasia again. But now that journey has been
45:03
stolen from her, and she will never get the chance to grow into that person that she was finally becoming. And so, on
45:11
that rather heavy note, I think it's time to bring today's video to a close. Although both of these cases took place
45:17
in the same corner of the world and featured people living an eerily similar lifestyles, the outcomes could not have
45:22
been any more different. And it really makes you think about how the online world actually can shape someone's fate
45:28
or twisted entirely. Anyway, thank you so much for watching today, folks, especially if you made it this far. And
45:34
if you have any thoughts or opinions on these cases, I'd love to know what you think down below. I try to read as many
45:39
comments as possible. If you want to try Aura for free for 14 days, go to aura.com/copyhousecrimer.
45:45
Thank you Aura for sponsoring today's video. And of course, thank you folks for listening. I'm back again soon for
45:50
another case. But until then, please make sure to look after yourselves and each other. And of course, stay curious.
45:56
Thank you and goodbye.