demanding that they return the things seized during the search. He was arrested on the spot, and other evidence was discovered in his apartment: $4,000 dollars, an investigator's handbook for investigating banditry, a book about Russian pistols, a radio, handcuffs and a cache of Makarovs. Quickly realising that they had been watched, the gang confessed to all of their crimes. Trial and sentences When charged, the other members rallied behind their leader Burdenko, accusing the police of beating them into confessing. Meanwhile, Balchugina's mother, driven to despair by the fact that the criminals never revealed where her daughter's corpse was hidden, believed that she was still only kidnapped, and set out to Moscow to look for her. As for the gang, after five hours of deliberation, Justice Leonid Petrov handed out the following verdicts: Sergey Pugachev - sentenced to death and subsequently executed in 2005. Alexander Burdenko - sentenced to life imprisonment in a special regime colony. Dmitry Ignatovich - sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in a reinforced regime colony. Sergey Astafurov - sentenced to 13 years imprisonment in a reinforced regime colony. References 2001 murders in Belarus 2002 murders in Belarus 2003 murders in Belarus 2000s murders in Belarus 21st-century criminals Belarusian people convicted of murder Belarusian serial killers Executed Belarusian serial killers Male serial killers Murder in Belarus People convicted of murder by Belarus People executed by Belarus People executed for murder People from Polotsk Prisoners and detainees of Belarus