MOSCOW, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Two Jehovah's Witnesses who allegedly claimed to be on a divine mission were charged with killing at least 13 people in Russia in a 9-month crime spree.
In one case, investigators say, Vladimir Gurianov, 44, allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl before beating her to death with a hammer, The Daily Mail reported.
Gurianov and his companion, Elvira Egorycheva 46, allegedly began their killing spree last year. She allegedly called herself Princess Elena, while Gurianov said he was her son, Prince Mikhail.
Investigators said that the pair met again late last year and Egorycheva told Gurianov she had had a vision.
"God wants us to go to Nizhniy Novgorod and cleanse the world of sinners," she allegedly told him.
The first victim was a fortune teller who had placed an advertisement for her services, investigators said.
Investigators said that Gurianov described one killing in detail: "I shot at the head of this woman, but she was still alive. I shot her a second time and she fell down, but just as I was digging a grave for her I realized she was still alive and just watching me. So you'll understand I had to stab her."
