Police reportedly discover remains of second murder victim linked to ‘Penza Network case’ suspects

Officials in the Ryazan region have reportedly discovered what are likely the remains of Ekaterina Levchenko, a young woman from Penza who went missing in 2017. A source in law enforcement told Meduza about the discovery and says the body still needs to be examined further to verify the person’s identity.

According to Meduza’s source, the remains were found near where Artyom Dorofeyev’s body was discovered in November 2017. Both Dorofeyev and Levchenko were friends with several Penza Network case prisoners.

Last month, Meduza published an investigative report about the apparent murders of Dorofeyev and Levchenko. Alexey Poltavets, another person with ties to the Penza Network case prisoners, has admitted to killing Dorofeyev. Poltavets also told Meduza that Penza Network case prisoner Maxim Ivankin murdered Ekaterina Levchenko.

Also in February, Ivankin was sentenced to 13 years in prison for allegedly plotting terrorist activity and attempting to sell illegal drugs. Poltavets told Meduza that several Penza Network case suspects were in fact involved in drug trafficking. The case has mobilized a national civic movement against torture, following claims by multiple defendants that federal agents forced them to confess to fabricated charges.