"The Mad Beast"
"The Rostov Ripper"
During his confession Chikatilo stated that his homicidal madness began when Stalin forced Collectivization in the 1930's. This policy created great famine in Chikatilo's native Ukraine. The hard times were especially hard for the Chikatilo family as he submits that his brother was eaten by peasants who were driven insane by hunger.
The murders began in 1978, Chikatilo was 42 at the time, he was a seemingly nice family man, a father of two, but who had been dismissed from his job as a school dormitory supervisor due to allegations of sexual molestation towards the students. He then sought employment at a factory as a supply clerk.
He searched for victims to satisfy his most inner and vulger urges. In Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia, he would lure young boys and girls away with him from bus stops or train stations, he would then take them into the woods out of public view.
As soon as he had the opportunity he turned from a charming calm, collected man into a mad beast. He would bind the hands with rope and then slash away in a berzerk manner, using his hands to tear away clothes and flesh! He would tear the victims torso open, gouge out the eyes, disform the genitalia, and then devour some of the flesh.
Even after 8 bodies were uncovered alone the public were not notified, the Soviet Union's policy on crime was that it only occurred in capitalist societies, releasing news of serial killers would be a slap in the face to the government, though it may have made the streets safer.
Chikatilo was arrested in 1984 as a suspect but somehow managed to slip through the icy Russian's grasp. However six years later Chikatilo was spotted near one of the crime scenes and this time charged, he confessed and the killings stopped. He was held in a steel cage in court to protect him from the victims relatives, though his constant outbursts made his court appearances rather short. The metal cage may have been for his protection but it was a rather good metaphoric object, for it held not a man, but a beast.
