Only 8 Years in Prison for a Serial Killer: The story of Aleksandr Rubel
In September 1997, an ordinary apartment building on Kopli Street in Tallinn, Estonia, became the site of a horrifying crime. Sixteen-year-old Aleksandr Rubel committed his first murder.
His victim was a completely helpless neighbor — a bedridden invalid. The perpetrator inflicted multiple axe blows to the man’s head. The victim was found with numerous open cranial injuries incompatible with life.
For the underage Rubel, this was the first step in a series of brutal killings. An ordinary boy who had never aroused suspicion transformed into one of the most ruthless serial killers in Estonia’s history.
A Short Path to Darkness
Born on December 25, 1980, Aleksandr Rubel grew up in a family that seemingly had no ties to violence or cruelty. Teachers described him as a friendly and calm teenager. His parents claimed they never noticed anything unusual in his behavior. Yet something dark resided in his mind — something no one suspected. At fourteen, Aleksandr began sniffing gasoline, entering states of toxic intoxication. This habit became a portal to a world where he felt like the master of human lives.
First Victim: “I Wanted to Kill”
On September 19, 1997, Aleksandr committed his first murder. His victim was 45-year-old Tõnu Põld, a bedridden neighbor. Under the influence of gasoline fumes, Rubel admitted he simply wanted “to try killing someone” and chose the most vulnerable target.
He took a small hatchet and delivered several blows to the man’s head. As blood pooled on the floor, Rubel calmly sat nearby, watching the dying man as if it were an everyday occurrence. “I didn’t care who I killed,” he later said in court.
Two Months Later: A Joint Murder with His Father
Two months later, on November 7, 1997, another murder took place. This time, the victim was 34-year-old Alexei Pavlov, who was stabbed right in Rubel’s home. Aleksandr’s father, Andrei Rubel, also participated, inflicting several knife wounds on Pavlov. Aleksandr then strangled the man and threw his body out of a third-floor window. This crime revealed dark secrets within the Rubel family, suggesting the father may have influenced the monster Aleksandr became.
A Series of Merciless Murders
Over the following months, Rubel continued his bloody spree. In January 1998, he killed 50-year-old Yevgeny Shelest on Stroomi Beach, inflicting fatal stab wounds. In February, Aleksandr beheaded a passerby named Vladimir Ivanov after asking him for a cigarette and money for gasoline. Later, Aleksandr committed two more murders — that of his neighbor Olga Voronkova and Vladimir Kinzersky, whom he killed in his own home. All these murders were carried out with the same cold-blooded brutality and under the influence of toxic intoxication.
The Last Victim — A 15-Year-Old Girl
Aleksandr’s final murder was the killing of 15-year-old Alisa Sivas in June 1998. This was an especially brutal crime — Rubel slit the girl’s throat. After this murder, neighbors began to suspect something was wrong. The parents of two boys who saw Rubel leading Alisa away contacted the police.
Trial and Punishment: Why Only 8 Years?
Aleksandr Rubel was detained on June 8, 1998. During interrogations, he openly discussed his crimes, detailing how he killed, what he felt, and even expressing a desire to create “his own cemetery.”
The court found him guilty of six murders, although Rubel confessed to seven. However, being a minor at the time of the crimes, he received the maximum possible sentence for juveniles — only eight years in prison.
Release and What Happened Next?
On June 8, 2006, Aleksandr Rubel was released. He had spent eight years behind bars and returned to the very building where many of his crimes were committed. For many, his release was a genuine shock. People feared he would resume his murderous activities. Prosecutors and psychiatrists who interacted with Rubel were convinced that someone like him could not be changed. His cellmates recounted that while in prison, Rubel was making a list of people he planned to kill upon release.
In 2007, Aleksandr changed his name and left Estonia.
The story of Aleksandr Rubel prompts reflection on what can lead an ordinary teenager to such monstrous acts. Rubel’s case raises questions about the roles of family, environment, and mental health. Strangely, numerous psychiatric evaluations found him sane. He did not suffer from mental illness, was aware of his actions, and vividly described the details of the murders. So what pushed him down this path?
As of now, nothing is known about Aleksandr Rubel’s current life. Perhaps he managed to start anew, leaving his past behind. Or maybe his dark instincts were never overcome. Either way, his story remains a grim reminder that sometimes monsters live among us, unnoticed until it’s too late.
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