Russian woman found murdered in Belgrade suitcase was visiting friends, mother reports disappearance

A Russian woman visiting friends in Belgrade was found murdered, her body discovered in a suitcase in the Vizelj canal. The victim, identified by media as 28-year-old Lyudmila Turkova Konstantinov from St. Petersburg, had been staying in a rented apartment in Borča.

Her mother, Yulia, told Russian media that her daughter was on a tourist visit to see friends who had recently moved to Serbia. They last spoke on the evening of July 25, when Lyudmila messaged that she was socializing and would call the next day. She had rented the apartment for a week and did not return to collect her belongings on her last day.

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She sent me a message that she was socializing with girls, that everything was fine and that she would call tomorrow. That was at 11:20 PM. I don't know where she was going. She spent more time with the girls than with me.

The disappearance was reported to the police by friends in Belgrade and by her mother from Russia. Yulia expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation, stating that Serbian authorities indicated their hands were tied until Interpol filed a report, potentially delaying the process for 15 to 20 days.

Serbian police announced on July 31 that a police dog found the body in the suitcase. A Turkish national was arrested while attempting to leave the country. Prosecutors allege the suspect lured the Russian woman to his apartment, killed her, placed her body in a suitcase, and disposed of it in the canal. The suspect has denied the charges.

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They told me in Belgrade that until Interpol reports the case, their hands are tied. So I need our police to act quickly and not delay. They quietly told me that it could take 15 to 20 days, which is a very long time.