Russian Couple ‘School Lovers’

Murdered Shipulin and Gerasimova were soul mates, says Russian State-owned television station report

Murdered Russian couple Yuri Shipulin and Nataliya Gerasimova were lovers at school and soul mates, Russian State-owned television station reported. The background story about the couple was aired in a programme called Russian -24 Special Report. Excerpts of the report were sent to the Fiji Sun, which has been inundated with queries about the couple’s murder from media outlets in Russia. The television report said Mr Shipulin was born in the south of Russia. The programme producer Gala Druzhinia in a brief to the Fiji Sun said Mr Shipulin met Ms Gerasimova during their school days. They were in the same class. The couple fell in love and soon they moved to Ryazan City, a small city located in Central Russia.

It is a major scientific, military and industrial centre of the country. The city’s population is more than 534,000. The report said the couple had a flourishing business but it did not mention their line of business. Mr Shipulin’s car here had the number plate registration ‘PILOT’ and he is believed to have been a former pilot. Five years ago they left Ryazan and headed to Fiji. After they arrived here they bought a farm in the highlands at Mulomulo, inland from Nadi, and grew vegetables.

On June 16 they left their farm after midday but never returned. They were subsequently reported missing by their business partner. On the evening of June 17, Police recovered the couple’s vehicle, but there was no sign of the couple.

The first of a series of body parts was found at Natadola Beach. DNA tests showed that the body parts were of the Russian couple. A head wrapped in netting was later found. It is believed it was Mr Shipulin. Some security guards for Sea Breeze Jet Ski saw a ghost-like figure on the beach early on June 17 and shone a torch on the “big man” at around 3am. However, they feared that the person whom they described “as white from the hip up and black downwards” could have been an evil being, a ghost. They did not pursue him because they were afraid. It is speculated the black could have been the bottom part of a wet suit used by divers.

A Police officer said had the security guards confronted the man they may have caught the killer. Meanwhile, 12 divers from the Naval Squadron joined the Police Force team to search Natadola waters.

Police say they are not releasing any information about their investigations to protect the integrity of their enquiry. Edited by Nemani Delaibatiki