Anatoliy Nagiev Maniac who tried to kill Pugacheva Country: Russia

Anatoly Nagiyev: The Man Who Tried to Kill Pugacheva

Anatoly Nagiyev was a man with a dangerous obsession. He spent several months stalking Alla Pugacheva, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. However, he made a fatal mistake and got distracted for just a few seconds. Frustrated, he decided to eliminate his primary target - the famous singer - and quickly walked away from Pugacheva's house. He had a return ticket to Kursk in his pocket, knowing that a second attempt might be more successful.

In 1979, Alla Borisovna Pugacheva basked in the glory of her well-deserved fame. She was a prima donna, adored by the public, and a top-tier star. After a big concert, Pugacheva returned home and entered the building. Shortly after, a short, strong-built man entered the same building. As the elevator doors closed, the strict concierge asked him, "Who are you here to see?" The man slowly turned to her with eyes that seemed to spin like devilish wheels. His face looked deranged, as if he was in the midst of a fit. Without uttering a word, the stranger quickly exited the building.

Nagiyev had spent months meticulously tracking Pugacheva, gathering information about her daily life and touring schedule whenever he visited Moscow. He believed she was his only salvation, his only obsession. It was rumored that Nagiyev had committed over forty similar crimes, making him one of the fastest serial killers in Russian criminal history. However, the authorities were only able to definitively link him to the night massacre on the Kharkov-Moscow train. He had raped, robbed, and killed two conductors and two passengers during a single trip, disposing of their bodies along the way.

Unfortunately for Nagiyev, his attempt to kill Pugacheva was thwarted, and he was arrested for the murders. In 1981, he was sentenced to death by the Kursk court. Nagiyev's background was shrouded in mystery, and he did not have biographers like Chikatilo. He came from a very poor family and, despite his short stature, possessed immense strength. He showed promise in weightlifting and even studied film mechanics. At the age of 17, he was caught for rape and sentenced to six years in prison.

Ironically, it was during his time in the Komi ASSR labor camp that Nagiyev's pathological obsession with Pugacheva began. The camp's meager music collection consisted mostly of cassette tapes featuring Pugacheva's songs, which were played repeatedly throughout the day. "Soon," the maniac recalled, "I couldn't think of anyone else. Her voice echoed in my head even at night." This twisted obsession with the Soviet pop star was not mentioned during his trial but was revealed in his confessions to the detectives.

After his failed escape attempt, Nagiyev was taken to a prison where he received medical attention. The doctor, with a deep dislike for the dangerous criminal, did his best to ensure Nagiyev's demise. However, the man survived and even regained consciousness the next morning. He asked a nurse if she would help him escape, indicating that he still believed he could reach Alla Pugacheva. Despite his injuries, Nagiyev was transferred to a cell where he resumed his intense physical training. He remained calm and confident until the end.

On the night of August 19, 1981, Nagiyev was transported to Novocherkassk for execution. It was a common practice to bring "death row" inmates from various regions of the country to this location. However, the convoy arrived late at the Hotunok station, causing a delay in the process. As the guards unloaded the prisoners, Nagiyev took advantage of the chaos and jumped under a moving train. It seemed as though fate or negligence had given him a chance to escape. Nobody bothered to check his belongings, which contained a note stating, "Inclined to escape. Prone to attack." Nagiyev's hands were handcuffed in front, rather than behind his back, allowing him to free himself using a nail he had found. No one, not even the other criminals, would have willingly thrown themselves under a moving train. But Nagiyev believed he was already living in hell, so he took his chance.

The news of Nagiyev's escape reached the powerful Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR, Nikolai Shchelokov. The search for the fugitive was given utmost priority, with a three-day deadline to capture him. Operation "Siren" was launched in the Rostov region and surrounding areas, with a particular focus on Novocherkassk. Flyers were distributed, train stations were cordoned off, and undercover operatives patrolled the trains. Yet Nagiyev disappeared without a trace. Many suggested giving up the search after a month had passed, as resources and manpower were running thin. However, the dedicated team continued their efforts.

The search headquarters was set up in the Promyshlenny district police station in Novocherkassk. On the morning of September 29th, a local volunteer called the headquarters from the nearby village of Yanovo. While riding his motorcycle, he had been stopped by a resident who noticed smoke coming from a haystack near his house. Initially, the resident assumed it was just some boys playing around. However, he discovered a hidden entrance in the haystack, leading to someone using it as a hideout. Inside, they found dishes, meager supplies, men's and women's clothing, and a homemade calendar. The piece of fabric used as a calendar showed marks starting from August 19, the day of the escape. Most importantly, the volunteer reported seeing a man with a gun near the haystack recently.

The deputy chief of the regional criminal investigation unit, Ivan Zatsepin, immediately contacted the prison and informed them of the discovery. He demanded the immediate dispatch of ten police dog handlers. The order was clear: search every house, every barn, and even check the cesspits. Armed officers formed a line and began descending from the hills into the village. Meanwhile, a wedding celebration was in full swing in Yanovo, filled with revelry and drunkenness. Strangely enough, this festive event played a crucial role in the search. Some intoxicated men went outside to smoke and encountered a gypsy woman approaching them. She seemed odd, with broad shoulders, muscular legs, and hairy arms. Recently, there had been a series of thefts in the village, something that had never happened before. The stolen items were traced back to Nagiyev, who had disguised himself as a gypsy. However, the intoxicated men recognized the woman and started chasing her. The gypsy woman ran, revealing her true strength. It turned out that the stolen goods had been taken with ease by Nagiyev.

The police quickly caught up with Nagiyev at a pigsty on the outskirts of the village. When they saw the gun in his hand, they opened fire. Zatsepin, at first fearful, recognized Nagiyev by his infamous rotating eyes. The condemned man lay unconscious but with his eyes wide open. It was a horrifying sight that Zatsepin would never forget. Nagiyev survived but remained critically injured. He was transferred to a hospital ward, where a doctor worked on him reluctantly. The doctor, whose name will remain undisclosed, could not fulfill his Hippocratic Oath when operating on a non-human. The doctor even used a cut glass to extract blood from Nagiyev's abdomen. Despite this, Nagiyev regained consciousness the next morning and asked a nurse for help in escaping. He was then moved to a cell, where he resumed his training. Witnesses reported that he remained determined to reach Alla Pugacheva until his last moments.

The investigation into Nagiyev's escape was swiftly conducted, and the outcome remained the same - the death penalty. His sentence was carried out, and Nagiyev was buried in an unmarked grave, identified only by a numerical code. "There was no one like Nagiyev in Novocherkassk before or after him," said Zatsepin. "Even experienced prison guards considered him a creature from hell. One of his guards told me, 'I can't be near him. He reeks of death, even when he's alive.'"

When asked why he hadn't informed Alla Pugacheva about her miraculous escape from the maniac, Zatsepin explained, "After Nagiyev's execution, she came to Rostov for a concert. At first, my colleagues and I thought about getting backstage and telling her the story, but then we decided against it. There was no need to scare the star with such terrifying tales. Our job is to catch criminals."