Zarechny: Azerbaijani businessman Ilgar Khanadanov, who went missing in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, has been found dead, APA’s Russian bureau reports, citing local media. The 49-year-old businessman disappeared in the city of Zarechny on October 24. His family was informed that his body had been found after a five-day search.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, it has now been confirmed that this was a murder, and an investigation is underway. The farewell ceremony will be held in Zarechny, and then the body will be taken to Azerbaijan for burial next to his relatives. The businessman’s wife, Tatyana, expressed the family’s intent to conduct the burial in Azerbaijan.

Preliminary information suggests that the murderer was identified as Pavel T., the owner of a caf© in Zarechnoye. Reports indicate that he had borrowed 2 million rubles from Khanadanov and refused to repay the debt, leading to a conflict. Pavel allegedly struck Khanadanov on the head from behind with an axe, placed the body in Ilgar’s Mercedes, and drove the car into a forest.

The Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case under Article 105 of the Criminal Code (murder). A preventive detention measure is expected to be chosen against Pavel soon. He faces up to 15 years in prison.