Andrei Papst has been arrested and charged with the murder of his wife, Alena Papst, a children’s sports coach, whose body was discovered following what was initially reported as a car accident in Berezovsky. The Berezovsky court has ordered Andrei to be held in pre-trial detention for two months while the investigation continues.

Alena Papst’s death is now being treated as a murder after strangulation marks were found on her neck. Her body was also discovered covered in dirt and grass.

The initial report from the State Traffic Inspectorate indicated that the car, driven by Andrei Papst, veered off the road and struck a pole on Novaya Street in Berezovsky. Alena was in the passenger seat and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Andrei sustained injuries in the crash.

Despite the appearance of a traffic accident, investigators now believe Andrei was driving the car with Alena already deceased.

Alena’s relative, Albert, stated that he had not observed any conflict within the family, describing Andrei as a calm person and their marriage as a good one. The couple has two children. Both Alena and Andrei worked as coaches.

However, other reports suggest that Alena wanted a divorce. Andrei’s brother stated that Andrei had previously gone to Turkey without informing his family, saying he was tired of the family.

The prosecutor requested Andrei be detained for fear of witness intimidation or obstruction of justice. While Andrei requested to remain free during the investigation, the judge ruled for his detention.

Alena Papst also held a position as the chief specialist in the city’s Department of Culture and Sports for two years. She trained children at sports school No. 8, where she was considered a kind and responsive mentor by the students’ parents.