Authorities escorted the 51-year-old suspect and software engineer for his wife’s alleged murder through the front doors of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety on Wednesday as he spoke through a phone outside the lobby to a records clerk.
Police said that the individual, Leonid Yamburg, confessed to killing his wife, Svetlana Nikitina, where officers immediately took him into custody. A few hours after his statement, authorities searched Yamburg’s home in Sunnyvale and discovered his wife’s body in the garage. Officials also found the body of his 11-year-old daughter inside one of the bathrooms.
Mysterious Murder
Sunnyvale Police Captain Craig Anderson said that officers did not locate any weapons after looking through the residence and finding the two dead bodies.
Authorities arrested Yamburg for the alleged murder of his wife, who was a resource teacher at the Cupertino Union School District, and his daughter. The Santa Clara County medical examiner-coroner said that the investigations are on-going as the actual cause of death remains unclear.
“This is a horrific tragedy, and our hearts are broken for the victims, the victim’s families, and the victim’s friends,” a statement by the Sunnyvale police read.
“We are so saddened by the tragedy and are working to support our students, staff, and community during this very difficult time of tremendous loss,” Leslie Mains, the Cupertino Union School District associate superintendent, said. She added that colleagues and students loved Nikitina.
The software company that Yamburg worked for, Zultys, did not comment on the incident, the San Francisco Gate reported.
