In the realm of horror movies, elderly women are often portrayed as fearful and vulnerable, likely to fall victim to menacing creatures. However, what if these elderly women are the ones embodying the monstrous role themselves?
A prime example of this unexpected twist is seen in the story of Russian senior citizen Tamara Samsonova. Dubbed as the “Granny Ripper” and likened to the infamous witch Baba Yaga from Slavic folklore, Samsonova defied her unassuming appearance to reveal a dark persona as one of Russia’s most heinous and prolific murderers.
Born in the harsh Siberian region in 1947 amidst the aftermath of World War Two, Samsonova’s early life remains shrouded in mystery. She later relocated to Moscow before settling in St. Petersburg where she tied the knot with a man named Alexei.
Known for leading an ordinary life in the city and working in various roles within the tourist industry, Samsonova’s life took a sinister turn after the puzzling disappearance of her husband, Alexei, in 2020. Despite her efforts to involve the authorities, the case remained unresolved, sparking suspicions of foul play linked to Samsonova.
In the wake of her husband’s vanishing, Samsonova started renting out rooms in her apartment. Tragically, in 2003, an altercation led to the alleged murder of one of her lodgers, Sergey Potanin, whose dismembered remains were scattered across the neighborhood unnoticed for over a decade.
Despite the gruesome nature of the crime, it remained unsolved for over 12 years. However, in early 2015, tragedy struck again as Samsonova, now residing in her neighbor Valentina Ulanova’s flat, orchestrated a chilling murder after a dispute between the two women.
Utilizing a potent prescription sedative, Samsonova drugged Ulanova before gruesomely dismembering her body. Subsequent investigations unveiled a macabre scene with evidence pointing to Samsonova’s involvement in multiple past killings, detailed in her handwritten diary.
Samsonova’s arrest led to her confinement in a secure psychiatric facility, where she was deemed mentally unfit for trial. Russian authorities are currently probing her potential involvement in up to 14 murders, leaving the true extent of the so-called Granny Ripper’s atrocities shrouded in uncertainty.