Three arrested for murder of Anastasia Shatalova in Tbilisi

Police have detained three individuals in the case of the premeditated murder of 27-year-old Russian citizen Anastasia Shatalova which took place in Tbilisi on October 18. 

Police say one of the detainees, identified only as B.L., shot Shatalova several times resulting in the woman’s death on the spot.  

Another detainee identified only as B.Kh. helped B.L. to flee the scene in a vehicle while a third arrested individual identified only as L.R., a friend of B.Kh, owned the apartment where B.Kh later hid, the Interior Ministry reports. 

Police officers have also seized a large amount of drugs and a hand grenade as a result of a personal search. 

The crime is punishable by eight to 20 years in prison.

A search was underway in the apartment of the former Batumi Vice Mayor Zurab Beridze, who is the father of Shatalova’s son, on the day of the murder. 

• Police search home of former Batumi Vice Mayor as woman killed following dispute

Anastasia Shatalova stated last year that she had a dispute with Beridze regarding child custody, noting that he had taken her son and would not allow her to see him.

Lawyer Paata Shavadze states that police issued a restraining order against Beridze, saying that Beridze was accused of violence against the woman and child and was released on 50,000 GEL bail.

Zurab Beridze resigned from the position of vice-mayor of Batumi in 2015. 

Beridze stated that he has not had any relationship with Anastasia Shatalova for the last six months.

Russia sent a note to the Georgian Foreign Ministry on October 19 requesting information about the murder case, RFE/RL reports.