the same day when Smirnov killed Emshova. He was exposed on an old conviction. The investigators came to Smirnov's house, but found only a burnt house. And soon, the killer attacked a group of children in the middle of the day, raping one girl. He was arrested soon afterwards. While under arrest, Smirnov happily talked about his crimes, confessing about a fifth murder of an elderly woman, whom he had raped. He had left her purse on the road, and moved her corpse by car, the victim's death being initially written off as a traffic collision. Smirnov always left a sign on the bodies of the murdered - he drove nails into their heads. Smirnov did not react after the announcement of the death sentence, saying he was above the law. In 1980, he was executed by firing squad. There were conspiracy theories that Smirnov was not shot, but left alive so his psychopathic nature could be studied. See also List of Russian serial killers References 1947 births 1980 deaths Executed Soviet serial killers Male serial killers Murderers of children People executed by the Soviet Union by firing squad People executed for murder Russian cannibals Russian people convicted of child sexual abuse Russian rapists Soviet Army personnel Soviet rapists