You're reading: Interior Ministry: Kharkiv judge murder case still not solved

The criminal case on the murder of judge Volodymyr Trofymov and his family members in Kharkiv remains unsolved as of today, the Interior Ministry of Ukraine has said. 

“Unfortunately, this crime still remains unsolved as of the moment,” Deputy Head of the Main Investigatory Department of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine in Kyiv Oleksandr Honcharov said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.

He said the investigators are considering two motives for the crime. According to him, the murder could have been committed to steal the property of the victim, who collected coins, or due to his professional activities in court.

“All of the facts of the case are being checked, all measures are being taken to solve the case,” Honcharov said.

As earlier reported, on Dec.16, 2012, the decapitated bodies of 58-year-old judge Trofymov, his 59-year-old wife, 30-year-old son and his son’s 19-year-old girlfriend were found in the judge’s flat. A criminal case under Article 115 (premeditated murder) was opened.

Interior Minister of Ukraine Vitaliy Zakharchenko reported that judge was one of the leading coin collectors in Ukraine, collected porcelain statuettes and military awards, and was a famous numismatist outside Ukraine. According to the minister, according to the preliminary findings some items from the collection have disappeared.

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka said the investigation continues to investigate a line of inquiry on the professional activities of judge Trofymov.

At an oath taking ceremony for newly appointed judges in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych also made an announcement: “I have ordered an investigation into the case of the murder of the judge and his family, as it is a challenge to the whole of Ukrainian society. Solving this crime is a matter of honor for all of the law enforcement agencies,” he said.