FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – A 51-year-old Fort Lauderdale man has been identified as the suspect in a cross-state murder spree that left six people dead across two Florida cities Wednesday, according to police officials.
Russell Kot died from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds after allegedly killing two people in Fort Lauderdale and four others in Sarasota County, approximately 200 miles northwest, authorities said.
The deadly rampage began in Fort Lauderdale’s Victoria Park neighborhood, where police responding to a wellness check on the 500 block of Northeast 15th Avenue discovered the bodies of Larisa Blyudaya, 46, and her son Ben Azivov, 18. Both were residents of the home where Kot had been living as a tenant, according to the property manager.
Investigators believe Kot had a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims, though they have not specified which one. The suspect reportedly lived in the same residence as the victims but kept separate quarters.
The violence continued in Sarasota County, where deputies found four additional victims and the suspect’s body in a gated community near Proctor and McIntosh roads. The deceased were identified as Olga Greinert, 49, Florita Stolyar, 66, Anatoly Ioffe, 61, and Yaroslav Blyudoy, 39.
Property manager Joe Askerberg described Blyudaya as “a happy, happy woman” who had relocated from Chicago in late 2025. He characterized Kot as quiet and reclusive during his tenancy.
A neighbor reported seeing an unidentified man access the Fort Lauderdale residence on Tuesday morning using a garage door keypad, though the significance of this sighting remains under investigation.
Sarasota Police confirmed they have no record of mental health crises or previous violent incidents involving Kot. The Sarasota Sheriff’s Office stated all persons connected to the incident have been accounted for and there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
Fort Lauderdale Police homicide detectives are leading the investigation into the initial murders, while Sarasota authorities are examining the connection between the suspect and the victims found in their jurisdiction. The motive for the Sarasota killings remains unclear.
