Russian detective who shot and killed a police informant went free from prison after three months

The perpetrator in a suspicious murder case went free from prison last yearafter less than three months. Last June, a senior detective in St. Petersburg was convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to a year and nine months in prison. Because of time already served in pretrial detention, detective Andrey Artemiev went free on August 19.

In late 2015, Artemiev shot and killed a police informant in his office. Prosecutors charged him with murder and abuse of office, demanding a 12-year prison sentence, but the court convicted him on a lesser charge. Demidov’s mother demanded half a million rubles ($8,875) in compensation for her son’s death.

The victim, Dmitry Demidov, was shot in the head while kneeling on the floor. Artemiev says he fired his gun accidentally, while transferring it from one holster to another. Arresting officers also found alcohol in Artemiev's blood, but he says he only started drinking after the gunshot, “to ease his nerves.”