Yana Legkodimova. Photo: social media
A specialized interdistrict criminal court in Atyrau Region has sentenced Rizuán Khairzhanov and Altynbek Katimov to life imprisonment for the murder of 23-year-old Atyrau resident Yana Legkodimova, Vlast.kz reports.
The convicts will serve their terms in a maximum-security facility. They were found guilty under two articles of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code: Murder committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (para. 7, part 2, Article 99) and Intentional destruction of another person’s property by prior conspiracy (para. 6, part 2, Article 202).
The court also partially upheld a claim filed by the victim’s mother, Galina Legkodimova. Khairzhanov and Katimov must jointly pay 1.9 million tenge (about $3,600) in material damages and 15 million tenge (about $29,000) in moral damages.
Yana Legkodimova disappeared on October 18, 2024. She left home after receiving a call from an acquaintance and never returned. Her mother said she found her daughter’s phone charger, headphones, and even her jacket left behind — behavior she described as “unlike her.” Yana’s remains were discovered eight months later, in June 2025, on the banks of the Ural River near the village of Taldykol.
Police identified the suspects through Yana’s diary, in which she mentioned someone with the initial “R.” According to the prosecution, Rizuán Khairzhanov strangled Yana in a car while his accomplice, Altynbek Katimov, held the door shut to prevent her escape. After the killing, they dumped her body in the Ural River.
Investigators concluded that Khairzhanov decided to kill Yana because he feared she might tell his fiancée about their relationship. He allegedly promised Katimov 500,000 tenge (around $956) for his help. The investigation found that before the murder the two men had discussed dozens of possible ways to kill her. They also planned to destroy her phone, and one of them admitted cleaning the car interior after the crime.
Both men pleaded guilty in court.
According to Tengrinews.kz, one of the key pieces of evidence was a recovered text exchange between the defendants, which they had attempted to delete. In the messages, they wrote that everything “must go perfectly” and that they had “done worse things before.” One message read: “Time for the ground, darling — you touched my sweetie.” They also discussed bribing officials.
After announcing the verdict, Judge Zarema Khamidullina explained her decision and showed photos of Yana’s remains in the courtroom. “Here, look at what is left of Yana. The lower jaw, arms, legs, and pelvis are missing. Animals tore apart her body. Where is the rest of her?” she said, addressing the defendants. “That is why the court has imposed the harshest penalties provided under Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code.” She also commented on Khairzhanov’s claims that Yana had supposedly led an immoral lifestyle, noting that these claims were unfounded.
“Yana loved you. By slandering the victim, Rizuán Khairzhanov, you show that you still have not understood your actions and have not set on the path to rehabilitation. For days, you discussed the method of killing her — cruelly, cynically, and with laughter. You were concerned not with the victim’s condition but only with avoiding arrest. Throughout the process, the court agreed with only one of your arguments: that your actions have no justification,” the judge said.
The trial drew widespread attention in Kazakhstan, with major national media closely following the proceedings. After the verdict was read, Yana’s mother, Galina Legkodimova, said the court’s decision was fair.
