A 37-year-old Russian national, Alexei Leonov, has been arrested by Goa Police in connection with the brutal murders of two Russian women in North Goa. Leonov was apprehended on Friday, January 16, 2026, hours after the body of his suspected live-in partner, Elena Kasthanova (37), was discovered with her throat slit and hands tied in Arambol. During interrogation, Leonov confessed to this murder and subsequently led police to the body of another Russian woman, Elena Vaneeva (37), found in Morjim village. Police believe Vaneeva was killed on January 14, and both murders shared a similar pattern of throat slitting and hands tied. In a significant development, Leonov has reportedly confessed to committing multiple murders across various locations, including Goa and potentially other states. On Saturday, January 17, 2026, he led police to Korgao village, claiming to have killed a 40-year-old woman from Assam by drugging her. This case was initially reported as a suspected overdose, and authorities are now diligently verifying if Leonov is indeed linked to this death. Goa Police have stated that the accused is changing his statements and is suspected to be under the influence of psychotropic substances, necessitating thorough verification of his claims. Leonov has been remanded in 14-day police custody as investigations continue to establish motives, recover evidence like the murder weapon, and confirm the extent of his alleged crimes. This unfolding case highlights potential multi-state criminal activity by the accused.