November 17, 1956 - Alexander Astashev
Operating across multiple Russian regions over roughly two years, Astashev led a poisoning campaign that killed 17 people and injured 14 others — crimes motivated by robbery rather than ideology or personal grievance. What distinguishes his case is the coordinated involvement of two female accomplices and the geographic spread of the attacks, which complicated investigation and allowed the scheme to continue well into 2005. His ultimate ruling of criminal incompetence meant he never faced trial, while those who carried out the crimes alongside him were imprisoned.
From Wikipedia
Alexander Nikolayevich Astashev (Russian: Александр Николаевич Асташев; born November 17, 1956), known as the Cheremkhovo Poisoner (Russian: Черемховский отравитель, romanized: Cheremkhovskiy otravitel), is a Russian serial killer and robber who, together with his wife and another female accomplice, poisoned 31 people across various oblasts from 2003 to 2005. Of these, 17 proved fatal.
All three would later be arrested, with Astashev being ruled incompetent to stand trial while his accomplices were imprisoned.
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