Dead body found with gold teeth 'could be Russia's most prolific serial killer'
A dead body with a mouthful of gold teeth found in a quarry could be the remains of Russia's most prolific serial killer.
Truck driver Valery Andreev is feared to have raped and murdered more than 100 women, but never faced trial. Known as the Orsk Maniac, after his home city, he evaded police for 12 years after cops questioned then released him due to "lack of evidence" at the time, in what is now seen as a catastrophic blunder. Years later, Russian police said they had "proof" eight women had been raped and murdered by the truck driver, but were not able to find him.
Russian cops are now investigating whether a mysterious dead body could be that of the serial killer, who would be 68 now if he was alive. A decaying male body discovered near Akkermanovka, by the border with Kazakhstan, is undergoing tests, reported the local Shot media outlet.
Andreev is also suspected of being behind the abduction, rape and murder of more than 100 women listed as "missing" between 2006 and 2016 in Orenburg region in southwest Russia, close to the border with Kazakhstan, according to law enforcement.
If allegations from Russian cops are true, Andreev could be the worst-ever serial killer in the country.
His potential bloody total would exceed that of ex-policeman Mikhail Popkov, aka The Werewolf, who was convicted of 81 murders in Siberia - and confessed to an additional two.
The dead man had a T-shirt bearing the words 'Collection of 99 International Games' and dark trousers on. All of his teeth were gold, which matched the wanted descriptions of the suspected mass killer.
This corpse's cause of death is currently unknown. There have been frequent reports of "sightings" of Andreev after police offered a £15,000 reward for information.
His truck was tracked containing a stash of condoms, women's underwear, and hair clips. Andreev has been on the run since 2013 when he was put on Russia's federal wanted list. He was described as a married father of two, considered a "peaceful and obedient family man".
Locals said he was "polite, well-mannered and respectable" and he had worked as a lorry driver for 15 years.
Earlier, Russian police urged anyone who spotted the suspected serial killer to contact them immediately. Interpol issued a red alert for Andreev and stated he has a 5cm scar on his abdomen, which they describe as a distinguishing mark.
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