MIA: M.K. shot dead father and son, while mother fell into ravine when trying to escape in Khada gorge

The officers of Mtskheta-Mtianeti Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), as a result of operative-investigative activities, arrested M.K (born in 1998) on charge of premeditated murder of two or more persons, including child, committed in the aggravating circumstances.  The charge envisages life imprisonment.

Head of the Central Department for Combating Organized Crime of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mamuka Chelidze has held a briefing earlier this afternoon.

As he stated: “On July 6, 112 received a call out on missing of two adults with dual citizenship of the US and Georgia and their 4-year-old child. The caller said that they were in the Khada Gorge in the Dusheti district and the contact with them was lost”.

According to representative of the MIA, search-rescue activities were launched immediately.  As a result,   the car and personal belongings of the missing persons were found in Zveri village, later the couple was found dead in the Dusheti area.

“On July 6, as a result of intensive investigative activities, L.S. (born in 1976) was found dead at the edge of the waterfall. A preliminary examination showed that there were no signs of abuse on the body of the deceased.  On 7 July, when rescue operation resumed, the body of the missing man R.S. (born in 1975) was found in the area adjacent to the waterfall.

Initially, the investigation has been launched under the Article 116, Part II, of Criminal code of Georgia, which implies to ‘causing death by negligence’. After obtaining the primary data of medical examination, the case was re- qualified to premeditated murder, ” – Chelidze said.

According to the MIA, law enforcers detained a person born in 1998 for grave charges. The detainee has pleaded guilty.

“As a result of conducting an investigative experiment with the detainee, law enforcers found the body of a 4-year-old child. According to the investigation, on July 4, in the area of Khada gorge, on the basis of conflict, M.K. shot dead R.S. and his son, while L.S. fell into a ravine and died when trying to escape.

The detainee left the murdered man at the crime site, while he hid the body of a child in the landslide”, – Chelidze said.

According to MIA, Investigation is in progress under the article 109 (2) “b” and (3) “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia on the fact of premeditated murder of two or more persons, including under aged, committed in the aggravating circumstances.

The United States citizens received the dual citizenship in 2012. They lived in Georgia during six years.