Russian police claim that the bridegroom, who had become a witchdoctor and turned to black magic one year after their marriage was over, was killed by a fake witchdoctor. 

  • Anton Shabanov used dark magic to save Lyubov’s new marital union
  • He enlisted the help of fraudster Nikolay Ivanov to perform rites in the woods
  • A dispute broke out, and Ivanov hit Shabanov with an axe in the head. 










After an attempt to save his wife’s marriage, an occult ritual went wrong, a husband was bludgeoned with an axe to the death.

Anton Shabanov (33), an engineer turned to black magic when Lyubov (39) left him less then a year after they were married.

Nikolay Ivanov (32) was a 32-year-old convicted fraudster who he sought out to assist him in an act of worship that included the burial of the couple’s personal effects in a nearby forest. According to the Russian Investigation Committee

Anton Shabanov was bludgeoned to death with an axe after an occult ritual to save his marriage to Lyubov went wrong (pictured together at their wedding)

Anton Shabanov was bludgeoned to death with an axe after an occult ritual to save his marriage to Lyubov went wrong (pictured together at their wedding)

He enlisted the support of convicted fraudster Nikolay Ivanov (pictured), 32, for a rite that involved burying the couple's possessions

Nikolay Ivanov, 32, a fraudster convicted of theft and fraud was his support for the rite which involved the burying of the couple’s belongings.

The ritual was performed by Ivanov, who mocked and made insults to his estranged wife.

The fight escalated and Ivanov used his axe to hit the neck and head of the groom multiple times, eventually killing him.

He covered his corpse with branches before fleeing the scene.

He was later arrested by the police, where he admitted to having killed Shabanov. Shabanov worked for Lukoil, an energy giant.

A court jailed Ivanov, from Krasnoyarsk, for nine and a half years, and he was ordered to pay £20,700 in damages.

Ivanov used an axe to strike multiple blows to the groom's head and neck, killing him before covering the body with branches (pictured)

Ivanov killed the groom by using an axe. He then covered his corps with branches.

Shabanov turned to black magic after his wife Lyubov, 29, left him less than a year after their wedding

Shabanov turned to black magic after his wife Lyubov, 29, left him less than a year after their wedding

A court jailed Ivanov, from Krasnoyarsk, for nine and a half years, and he was ordered to pay £20,700 in damages for the axe killing (weapon pictured)

A court jailed Ivanov, from Krasnoyarsk, for nine and a half years, and he was ordered to pay £20,700 in damages for the axe killing (weapon pictured)

360TV heard from a friend who was the victim: “They split up.

They were not divorcing, they just lived separately.

“Naturally he was upset but I don’t think he would participate in the rites of bringing her back.”

The committee stated that the court had found out that a local resident was seeking to restore his marriage with his wife and decided to use an occult ceremony.

“To carry out the ceremony, he had to place their belongings outside of the city.

As they performed the ritual, Ivanov mocked Shabanov (pictured) and insulted his estranged wife

Ivanov made fun of Shabanov (pictured) during the ritual, and also insulted his estranged spouse.

Police, pictured at the scene later detained Ivanov and he confessed to killing Shabanov, who worked for energy giant Lukoil

Ivanov was later taken into custody by police, and he admitted to the murder of Shabanov. He worked as an energy expert for Lukoil.

According to the statement, Ivanov spoke negatively about the ceremony while digging a pit and his wife. This led to a dispute between the men.

“The fight escalated to a fight during which Ivanov struck multiple blows with an astrakhan resident’s head and neck, then covered his body with branches, fleeing the scene.

Astrakhan’s Privolzhsky District Court sentenced the murderer to a strict regime penal colony.

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