Russian authorities have reopened a murder investigation against three sisters accused of killing their abusive father in 2018, just months after a court posthumously convicted him of sexual violence, as reported by their attorney on Wednesday.
The investigation into Krestina, Angelina, and Maria Khachaturyan had been halted while officials looked into their father, Mikhail Khachaturyan. In April 2025, a court in Moscow found him guilty of sexual abuse, causing severe bodily injury, and producing pornographic material; however, the case was closed following his death.
With this ruling in mind, investigators resumed the proceedings to determine whether the sisters’ actions constituted murder or were a case of self-defense, according to their lawyer, Alexei Parshin, in comments to the business publication Kommersant.
“Neither the defense team nor the investigators have received the final decision from the Moscow City Court at this point,” Parshin stated in additional remarks to the state news agency TASS.
As of Wednesday, the Investigative Committee, which is Russia’s main investigative authority, had not made a public comment regarding the reopening of the murder investigation.
Parshin indicated that the defense intends to seek the case’s dismissal by contending that the sisters acted in self-defense. He argues that the conclusion is supported by the April 21 ruling of the Butyrsky District Court in Moscow, which found against their father.
In November, the Moscow City Court upheld that decision and rejected an appeal from Khachaturyan’s relatives.
At the time of the incident, the Khachaturyan sisters were 17, 18, and 19 years old and admitted to killing their 57-year-old father in July 2018, following what they described as years of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.
The case ignited a nationwide discussion in Russia, polarizing public opinion between those who saw the sisters as acting in self-defense and others who viewed the killing as a crime. It occurred amid broader criticism regarding Russia’s inadequate protections against domestic violence.
Parshin noted that the Khachaturyan sisters are currently prohibited by a court order from communicating with each other, the media, or witnesses in the matter.
