Lola Karabaeva found dead in Philadelphia home wrapped in plastic in closet days after she was reported missing following fears that her husband, Vladimir Lushevskiy had been threatening the woman on the 20 year eve of what would have been their son’s birthday after he was found deceased in the California desert in 2004.
A Philadelphia man has been charged after friends reported his 61-year-old wife missing, only for cops to find the woman dead and wrapped in plastic in a closet inside their home days later.
Vladimir Lushevskiy, 65, was taken into custody and charged with Abuse of a Corpse, less than 5 days after Lola Karabaeva, 61, was reporting missing according to the Philadelphia Police Department. The husband may face additional charges once an autopsy determines a cause of death for his deceased wife.
The woman’s death comes shortly after her disappeared over the weekend following her return from a recent trip to Europe.
Karabaeva, 61, was last seen on Saturday, Oct. 12, at her Bustleton, Philadelphia residence according to the Philadelphia Police Department. Residential surveillance video showed her exiting her car circa 2.30am that morning and then entering the couple’s home alone.
Come Wednesday, the missing woman’s body was found in the couple’s residence, wrapped in plastic inside a closet.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that police discovered the body on their third search of the home. The first two searches garnered no results but on their third visit, police reportedly found a dark stain near a closet, which prompted them to remove a wooden board at the back of the closet.
They then recovered Karabaeva’s body in a trash bag that had been sealed with duct tape and had a rope attached to the wooden board.
Karabaeva’s neighbors say she disappeared shortly after returning from a month long trip to Europe, FOX 29 reported.
Leading up to her disappearance friends were concerned that she had been getting threats from her husband.
‘I did not talk too much to Vladimir, that’s her husband. He’s a little bit crazy,’ said Mikhail Igdalov, who says he’s known the couple for 17 years according to 6abc.
‘She has been in Europe two weeks, maybe three weeks, I don’t know. She (came) in here. I saw just her car.’
Frank Vanore, Deputy Commissioner of Philadelphia PD, says authorities are investigating the possibility that the killing may have happened after the couple got into an argument over their son’s death from 20 years ago, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
In 2004, the couple’s 19-year-old son, Evgeniy Lushevskiy, reportedly disappeared while on vacation with them in California, with their sons’ remains not discovered until six years later. The nature of his death was not clear from the reports.
Law enforcement sources said detectives are also looking into whether Lushevskiy killed Karabaeva on their late son’s birthday, which was Oct. 12 according to CBS News.
Karabaeva was last seen on Oct. 12.
News of Karabaeva’s death left neighbors anguished.
‘Sadness, surprised. Don’t expect it. Couldn’t believe it happened,’ local neighbor, Everett Bell told FOX29.
‘I’ve lived here for nine years so I’ve never heard any screaming. I’ve never heard anything bad, but it’s just very disturbing to know this is happening,’ said another neighbor.
A GoFundMe set up for Karabaeva’s funeral costs claims the woman, who according to neighbors is from Uzbekistan, had no other family in the country.
‘This beautiful, kind and amazing woman was a true friend,’ her friend wrote in the GoFundMe. ‘She was always ready to help others in spite of her personal tragedy with the loss of her son.’
While Karabaeva’s cause of death is yet to be determined, the case is being investigated as a homicide, thought attributable to domestic violence. The husband may now face additional charges pending the results of autopsy tests.
