Authorities in Sacramento, Calif., arrested a 19-year-old man Wednesday in connection with the brutal slaying of his brother’s wife and two young children Tuesday night.
Deputies with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department took Grigoriy Bukhantsov into custody at around 2 a.m. Wednesday after they found him asleep at a Denny’s restaurant in Placer County.
On Tuesday, Bukhantsov’s brother found the bodies of his wife, his 2-year-old son and his 3-year-old daughter when he returned to the family’s Rancho Cordova home, about 15 miles east of Sacramento. He then ran to a neighbor’s home and called police.
"It was very clear the victims obviously met a very violent end," sheriff’s department spokesman Sgt. Jason Ramos told NBC News. "They all sustained injuries consistent with blunt-force trauma and they were all in close proximity to one another. Indications are that this was a swift attack but very violent."
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A 6-month-old baby was found unharmed and taken from a different room of the house to be with relatives, police said.
Authorities had been searching for a 2005 Chrysler minivan that had been stolen from the family’s home after the attack and spotted it outside the restaurant.
There, they found Bukhantsov asleep in a booth with a plate of chicken-fried steak with gravy, the San Jose Mercury News reported. He was taken into custody, booked and interviewed.
“Based on that interview as well as what we have learned throughout the investigation since yesterday afternoon, we have arrested him for the murders of all three victims,” Ramos said. “We believe he is the only person responsible for this. We’re not looking for any outstanding suspects at this time.”
Police said Bukhantsov's brother is cooperating with the investigation, despite being distraught.
A mother and her two young children were found brutally murdered in their California home. One of the victim's sister speaks out. KCRA's Mallory Hoff reports.
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Ramos described the manner of the attack as a "stabbing" and "slashing," but declined to go into further detail pending a coroner’s inquiry.
"[Bukhantsov] had strange relationships with other members of the family, something bad was brewing for some time,” Ramos said. “This is somebody who confronted a family inside their homes and took their lives very violently,” Ramos said. “It’s shocking, even to veteran law enforcement.”
The identities of the victims were not immediately released.
Authorities also have not identified the brother but California Department of Motor Vehicle records show Aleksey Bukhantsov was the registered owner of the 2005 Chrysler minivan, according to The Associated Press.
The AP also says Grigoriy Bukhantsov was “somewhat nomadic, living temporarily with various family members and may have even stayed with his brother’s family in the duplex where they lived.”
Bukhantsov is currently being held without bail at the Sacramento County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday afternoon.
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A speedy trial ending in a speedy death penalty is the only answer. Even if he was on some heavy duty drugs and suddenly got clean, nothing can reverse the psychological damage caused by knowing you went berserk and brutally murdered your 2 & 3 year old niece and nephew and their mother!!!! The damage is done and the whack job needs to be put out of everyones misery (including his own)! May mother and babies rest in peace and may dad find the strength and support to pull through this terrible time of heartache and despair.
These animals are out in full swing, killing kids, women....just wow.
Animals never act this way.
What is up with all these sick teens. Killing children is a new sport? Heaven help us all. I especially love when they shield the perps identity because they are minors. Agggh.
He's 19. He is not going to be shielded at all. I just read a story before this one of a man being executed for a crime he did when he was 19. There is hope.
Do you think maybe they didn't identify the brother for a reason? How about maybe he needed some privacy to try to deal with this trauma in his life. Media morons!
I hope you were not directing that at me. I am talking about minors in other cases.
Grigoriy, rot in prison toward old age, and I hope you have painful cancer as you're dying on your cell bunk you freak!
all of these deaths,,, the killers need to die,, and soon ,, all of them,, no matter the age.it's just 2 bad for them..they should of thought about that before they killed. enough already.
How very sad that these babies life were taken away from them. No words could possibly console this family.
Another one that should be handcuffed to a parking meter next to a big pile of bricks and let the citizens take care of the rest.
chicken fried steak with gravy.i was wondering what he was eating.that is reporting.
I know you're being ironic, but I think it goes to the depravity of this p.o.s., that he could kill all these people, order food and then fall asleep in it!
Unbelievable! I'd have had more respect for this idget if he had passed out in a bar, not a diner!
Reporting the fact that he was found face down in his chicken fried steak speaks volumes.
Did he ask for the car,and she said 'no'? How awful! How sad for the rest of the family. This family member needs to die,just like he murdered them,and now!
No regard for human life. Slash up the kids, and go eat chicken-fried steak.
I'm speechless.
Slowest death penalty state in the country.. He'll die of old age before he ever sees the gurney!!!
He probably won't get the death penalty anyway. California is voting on Tuesday to possibly repeal the death penalty. It hasn't been carried out in years anyway because the punishment is considered cruel. Like murdering children isn't. I seem to remember a story recently about a death row inmate who has been on the row for 34 years. Like that's some justice, unbelievable.
To the Mother and her two babies, Rest In Peace. You are now in the arms of the One Who Gives Rest and Peace for all Eternity. To the Husband and father, May Jesus Christ Bless you with the peace, strength and comfort that only He can give. My condolences to the family and friends of this family.
how sad to die at the hands of this psycho, especially when children are involved, i cannot understand how heartless you have to be. this guy has to be a complete lunatic. I heard from a friend that knows one of the police officers at the crime scene, that the scene was so gruesome, they needed serious couseling to what they witnessed. i cant imagine. may the mom and her two children rest in peace and be free from all this misery and violence.
Speedy Trial, some of you say?
Yeah, right. NO ONE goes to trial any longer! All I ever read is how the lawyers need "several years to build their cases" and then they just drop off the face of the earth.
They might as well let them walk, since we NEVER read or hear about justice dropping a hammer on their heads.
What the hell is happening in this Country? More and more psyco people are killing innocent people and their children. How could a another human being do this, especially at this young age? No one in that family, ever questioned the brothers behavior? It would seem, some weird behavior would appear before someone kills for no reason. No one is safe in their own homes anymore...sad.
Probably he has been on perscribed drugs since childhood. Drug companies are doing quite well in this economy. Children need to sit quietly at their desks you know.
Let's see, where do I start; corrupt politicians, lazy no-good, so-called parents, disciplinary limitations in the home and at school being enforced by the law, etc.......
Come on parents; teach your kids respect, confidence, dignity and hard work!!! Forget the internet; take them to the libraries for research. Forget the video games, send them outside to play AFTER they finish designated chores. A lot can be said for tradition!!!!
Well said LoveBNamon! And ask your children to speak quietly at the library in respect for other patrons. Any body still know the word whisper?
Problem that alot of people seem to miss is alot of kids now a days dont have parents at home, alot are from 1 parent families and the one parent they have is either working, too tired from work or plain just dont care what their kids are up to. Combine that with the fact our society glorifies being ghetto, acting like pimps and criminals, acting like thugs and things of that nature and its no surprise we have these things happening more and more. I grew up in a really poor section of Chicago and I looked forward to getting out and getting away from that mentality, unfortunately these days even the people who are able to get out act the same and they do nothing to fit into society as a productive person.
Well said Gary. We have all been indoctrinated to accept all behaviour no matter how vile as a persons right to carry on their life as they wish. It was mentioned in the article that other family members thought the guy was a nut job but I guess his right to be a nut job trumped the rights of the mom and her children. When will we learn?
So very, very sad!!! NBC ought to be ashamed of themselves for identifying the name of the registered owner of the mini van. There's a reason names weren't released by the LEOs and the family deserves their privacy; especially during a time like this!!!! SHAME, SHAME and SHAME!!!!!
Are there any more sane people in this country? Sounds to me the nuts propagate at an insane rate.
"You want 'im? NO. BOOM"
Wow. Her sister really seems torn up about it?!?
Well, beer mug, she seemed to be enjoying her 15 minutes of fame. I thought it was pretty creepy how she kept giggling and laughing about this tragedy.
Senseless violence followed by steak n' gravy always knocks me out too.
This story is a pattern I read almost once a week in the news. What is going on? Killing babies?? Defenseless people? The brother should be able to "Do onto other's" - this is just sad. A Two year old and a Three year old!! - How horrible.