Bride kills fiancee ‘with axe’ and brutally disfigures face days before wedding

A bridegroom killed his fiancée in a horrific assault that saw him inflict 83 separate blows shortly before their wedding.

Russian travel agent Alexander Voronin, 26, son of a senior ex-KGB security service officer, left horrific wounds on Marina Pankratova, 26.

Pankratova was found semi-naked in bed following the three-hour attack by Voronin.

According to evidence to a Moscow court, the bride’s face was severely disfigured and her skull fractured by an unidentified object, possibly a chair leg or the blunt head of an axe.

Her torso and limbs were covered in wounds, some caused by punches and kicking.

After killing his would-be bride, Voronin attempted to flee abroad but was stopped due to pandemic travel restrictions.

He was sentenced to fourteen-and-a-half years in prison.

The tragic woman’s body was found by Voronin’s mother. The bride had bought her wedding dress, and she was killed days before the expected nuptials.

Voronin, who owned a car rental company and travel agency, was held in a Moscow park after his father Nikolay persuaded him to give himself up.

He had been seen leaving the flat he shared with his bride soon after she was killed.

State investigators spoke to five former girlfriends who all reported that Voronin – who maintained his innocence at the trial – had been abusive.

He tied up one woman and threatened to throw her child out of the window.

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The accused’s father insisted his son was not the killer.

"Pay attention to the fact that most of the hits were made by a right-handed person, and Alexander is left-handed,” he said.

“I think at least two men had committed the act.”

In court, Voronin had said: "I do not remember anything”.

But the court heard a CCTV camera caught him beating the woman as they walked home.

And no one else was seen entering the flat.

Relatives say the couple had dated a long time after meeting at work.

Friends said they had a “very tender” and "loving" relationship.

“They were a nice couple. very calm and quiet,” said one neighbour.

A female neighbour said: "I'm shocked. They were a nice and intelligent couple.”

But a friend said Marina had recently complained about domestic violence to the police, but later withdrew the claim and agreed to marry Voronin.

If you have been affected by issues of domestic violence or coercive control you can call Refuge's 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free. The number is 0808 2000 247

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