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Mike NovoselovManiac
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
Biography of Mikhail Novoselov
Mikhail Novoselov, a notorious serial killer and necrophile, is currently awaiting trial in a detention center. While in custody, Novoselov requested permission to draw something bright and cheerful on the wall of his cell, such as swans in a pond or a group of children. This request raises questions about the nature of becoming a maniac and why someone suddenly starts killing. Professional psychologist Alexander Bukhanovsky, who studied the phenomenon of serial killer Chikatilo, explains that the process of becoming a maniac is gradual and influenced by various factors that affect one's psyche.
Novoselov vividly remembers the circumstances that completely twisted his mind and turned him into a killer and necrophile. This "fateful blow," as he philosophically calls it, occurred after his first prison term. Having accumulated some money and gained courage, Novoselov decided to sleep with a woman for the first time. He chose a prostitute for the night, but she left him after 20 minutes, mocking him and advising him to buy a small jack. This humiliation was unbearable for Novoselov, and the laughter and the word "jack" echoed in his ears for the rest of his life. Perhaps this incident became a turning point for him. Over time, the defeat of that night became unforgettable, making normal relationships with women seem impossible. Eventually, while visiting the city of Chaikovsky in the Perm region, he killed a girl not far from a restaurant. However, he did not immediately rape her; he was afraid. Returning two hours later, he touched her cold body and realized what he needed...
Novoselov later explained during interrogation, "A corpse is just like a good soup. The longer it lies and "ferments," the better it becomes. You can't understand it unless you try it." His shocking question to the investigator about whether he had ever had sex with a six-year-old girl who had been lying dead in the sun for two or three hours astonished even the most experienced law enforcement officer. Who was Novoselov? Sometimes he was a professional photographer, other times an artist, a painter, a geologist – he had credentials for all professions and could discuss anything. Naturally, this attracted people and helped him establish connections. He would approach a woman and say, "You have incredibly expressive facial features. Have you ever considered modeling for magazines?" A five-minute walk alone, chatting about this and that... And a firm grip on the throat as the grand finale.
Like any maniac of his caliber, Novoselov had his "signature" method: a heavy blow to the head or the nape of the neck, followed by choking. However, there was an exception. Once, he deviated from his usual pattern when he killed two young children – a boy and a girl. He stabbed them with a sharpened electrode, which he hid under the bicycle saddle. He then drowned their bodies in a ditch, but not before taking out the chewing gum they had bought for themselves from their pockets. "I wanted to give it to someone else," he explained.
The age of his victims did not matter to him – whoever crossed his path became a target. If he liked a young boy, he would kill and rape him. The same applied to girls and adult women. He had no qualms about searching their pockets, taking all their loose change, even handkerchiefs and powder compacts.
Novoselov managed to evade justice for a long time because, despite his internal conflicts, his mind functioned normally. He had three different surnames and passports, allowing him to change his identity as needed. He could be Novoselov, Svetlov, or Shakhraiziev, depending on the situation. He could adopt a Russian identity or put on a distinct accent when necessary.
Novoselov's favorite activity, it seems, was philosophical contemplation or "world-concluding," as he called it, referring to his deeply intellectual thought process. He was an incredibly talkative maniac, providing detailed accounts of himself, his inner world, and the imperfection of existence. He believed that the world had become embittered, and everyone had become cruel and savage. "They would strangle you for a ruble. Is this normal?" he questioned. He continued his musings, "Why did I kill? Not out of anger. I desired the pleasures of life. But what could I do when I could only achieve it with corpses?"
Novoselov disliked the label "necrophile." He preferred to be called a "rebel," believing it better and more accurately described his essence. To support his claim, he quoted Omar Khayyam's quatrains about rebels.
Although he had been in prison multiple times, Novoselov was never caught for his sexual offenses. He often escaped and sometimes benefited from amnesties or early release due to his seemingly model behavior. With his artistic abilities, he would paint commissioned pieces in prison or on the outside, such as landscapes, swans in a pond, or groups of children playing by a river. According to him, these works were created "with soul."
In his life, Novoselov claims he always tried to treat people with kindness. This seemingly worked well for him, as people let him stay overnight, made acquaintances with him, fed him, and provided him with clothes for his journey. When he worked in a psychiatric hospital in Dushanbe for about six months, the staff spoke of him with a special, tender warmth. They regarded him as deeply honest and respectable, a person with a broad inner worldview.
Novoselov's arrest was not due to the extraordinary efforts of the police but rather a stroke of luck. While in the central park of Dushanbe, he attempted to steal an air rifle from a shooting range, leading to his detention and placement in a pretrial detention center. However, a few days later, investigators from a neighboring district informed the police that Novoselov was suspected of three murders with rape in Tajikistan. But during the initial interrogations, the suspect shocked them by confessing to three additional murders in Tajikistan and 16 in Russia.
It was unclear whether his claims were delusions or a manifestation of grandiosity. However, the investigative team began exhuming the remains of children in the indicated burial sites, and all of Novoselov's statements were confirmed.
The geography of his crimes ranged from Udmurtia to Siberia. He stated, "I am a natural-born traveler." This might have played a negative role in identifying him as a serial killer – it is difficult to track a "traveler," making it challenging to establish the extent of his killings.
During the investigation, Novoselov recounted an incident when he had asked his wife to call the police. "I had a lot to tell them," he explained to his wife, who did not understand anything at the time. Shortly after, he received a prison sentence. However, it was not for murder but for escaping from a correctional labor colony. Novoselov admitted, "I didn't have the courage to speak up then... In the colony, I wanted to confess a couple of times, but who knows – I must have been weak-willed. So, I remained silent." Now, it is pointless for him to lie or invent stories. He understands that "the hammer" will fall regardless of Tajik or Russian laws.
While awaiting trial in the detention center, Novoselov requested permission to draw something bright and joyful on the cell wall, such as swans on a pond or a group of children. However, his request was denied.
