Moscow court detains man accused of murdering businesswoman and her daughter
Version 2: Vedomosti added the suspect's name, the court, the charges and the detention period until 3 December 2026, the victims' identities and the investigators' account of the killings on 1 October, which earlier reports did not include.
In short
A Moscow court has ordered the detention of Temuraz Gogiashvili, accused of murdering businesswoman Yelena Tsereteli and her 19-year-old daughter, TASS, RIA Novosti and Vedomosti reported. Vedomosti said the Kuzminsky district court held him until 3 December 2026 and that he is charged with murdering two people out of mercenary motives and with illegal storage of weapons. Investigators say the daughter was killed in a garage on the evening of 1 October and her mother a few hours later in an apartment building.
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A Moscow court has ordered the detention of a man accused of murdering a businesswoman and her 19-year-old daughter in Moscow, according to TASS, RIA Novosti and Vedomosti. TASS reported at 17:13 local time that the suspect had been brought to court and had partially admitted guilt, and at 18:27 that he had been arrested. RIA Novosti reported at 18:29 that the court had sent him to pre-trial detention. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Vedomosti named the accused as Temuraz Gogiashvili and reported that the Kuzminsky district court in Moscow ordered him held until 3 December 2026, citing the joint press service of the capital's courts. The press service said he is charged with murdering two people out of mercenary motives, under items “a” and “z” of part 2 of article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code, and with illegal storage of weapons and ammunition under part 1 of article 222. [ 4 ]
According to the investigation as described by Vedomosti, Gogiashvili killed the 19-year-old woman in a garage on the evening of 1 October and her mother a few hours later in an apartment building. [ 4 ]
Vedomosti, citing TASS, said the woman killed was businesswoman Yelena Tsereteli, born in 1972, the former wife of restaurateur Mamuka Tsereteli. TASS had reported on 4 October that Gogiashvili owed a Tula enterprise more than 42 million rubles in an unpaid advance, Vedomosti said. [ 4 ]
TASS reported that the suspect partially admitted guilt; RIA Novosti's account of the hearing did not mention a plea. The documents do not name the daughter or give further detail on the circumstances of the killings. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The documents do not state a motive for the killings beyond the charge of mercenary motives, and do not say whether the reported debt is connected to the case. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The case went through a Moscow district court and was covered by Russia's two main state news agencies and by the business outlet Vedomosti, which added the suspect's name, the charges and the length of his detention. Vedomosti reported a link between the accused and a debt owed to a Tula enterprise, and identified the victim as a businesswoman and the former wife of a restaurateur, but the documents do not establish a motive.
Key facts
- A Moscow court ordered the detention of Temuraz Gogiashvili, accused of murdering a businesswoman and her 19-year-old daughter in Moscow. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Kuzminsky district court in Moscow ordered him held until 3 December 2026, according to the joint press service of the capital's courts as reported by Vedomosti. [ 4 ]
- According to that press service, he is charged with murdering two people out of mercenary motives (items “a” and “z” of part 2 of article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code) and with illegal storage of weapons and ammunition (part 1 of article 222). [ 4 ]
- Investigators say he killed the 19-year-old woman in a garage on the evening of 1 October and her mother a few hours later in an apartment building, Vedomosti reported. [ 4 ]
- TASS reported that the suspect partially admitted guilt. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Vedomosti, citing TASS, said the woman killed was businesswoman Yelena Tsereteli, born in 1972, the former wife of restaurateur Mamuka Tsereteli. [ 4 ]
- TASS had reported on 4 October that Gogiashvili owed a Tula enterprise more than 42 million rubles in an unpaid advance, according to Vedomosti. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the debt to the Tula enterprise is connected to the killings Vedomosti relays a TASS report that Gogiashvili owed a Tula enterprise more than 42 million rubles, but no document says the killings were linked to that debt; the charges cite mercenary motives without stating the motive in detail.
- The suspect's partial admission of guilt Reported by TASS only; RIA Novosti's report on the same hearing does not mention a plea.
- The name of the 19-year-old daughter and other details of the victims Vedomosti identifies the mother as Yelena Tsereteli, born 1972, but the documents do not name the daughter or give further personal details.
- The Kuzminsky district court ordered the accused held until 3 December 2026, according to the joint press service of Moscow's courts as reported by Vedomosti. Reported by a single source so far
- According to that press service, the accused is charged with murdering two people out of mercenary motives and with illegal storage of weapons and ammunition. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports the suspect in the Moscow murder of a businesswoman and her daughter has been brought to court and has partially admitted guilt. [ 1 ]
- TASS reports the accused has been arrested. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the court has sent the accused to pre-trial detention. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reports the Kuzminsky district court arrested Temuraz Gogiashvili until 3 December 2026, and gives the charges and the investigators' account of the killings. [ 4 ]