The neighbors of Lola Karabaeva held a vigil and balloon release on Saturday days after her body was found wrapped in plastic and inside a closet in her home. NBC10’s Brian Sheehan has the story.
A man has been charged after his 61-year-old wife was reported missing and then found dead inside their home.
65-year-old Vladimir Lushevskiy was taken into custody and charged with Abuse of a Corpse, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Lushevskiy's charges were upgraded to homicide, strangulation and tampering with evidence and obstruction, according to the District Attorney's Office on Friday, Oct. 18.
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On Sunday, October 13, 2024, at 12:33 a.m., officers responded to a missing person report along the 9000 block of Diplomat Place in the Bustleton section of Northeast Philadelphia.
Officers spoke with witnesses who reported that they last spoke to their friend, 61-year-old Lola Karabaeva, around 2:30 a.m. on October 12, 2024.
Authorities allege that Lushevskiy killed his wife sometime after she arrived to the couple's home on Saturday.
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Surveillance video from 2:38 a.m. shows the woman at the front door and struggling to unlock it for several minutes before the video ends. It was the last time she was seen alive in public.
Later that morning, the same surveillance camera picked up a man who neighbors identified as Lushevskiy outside of the home. He appeared calm as he moved to her car.
On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, detectives returned to the home to continue investigating the missing person case. During their search of the property, they discovered the body of Karabaeva wrapped in plastic inside a closet. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:13 a.m., police said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Lushevskiy was arrested in Westhampton Township, NJ, in relation to a gun charge on Wednesday, officials said. He is still in New Jersey and it's unclear when he will be extradited back to Philadelphia.
Neighbors honor Lola Karabaeva
Neighbors gathered outside of the home where Lola Karabaeva lived with her husband Vladimir Lushevskiy on Saturday, Oct. 19.
The group held balloons and placed flowers in front of a smiling picture of the 61-year-old woman.
"She was a beautiful woman and a beautiful soul. Very kind, very smiling person," one neighbor said.
Neighbors told NBC10 that Oct. 12, the day Lola was allegedly killed by her husband, is the same day as their late son's birthday. They said that he died several years ago.
Neighbors at Saturday's balloon release described the relationship between Lola and her husband as strained.
"She would never come out with him. She was always more stuck in the house than he was. He was always coming out," Felipe explained.
Friends explained that the couple does not have any family living in the United States and they are raising money for Lola's funeral services.
This is a developing story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
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