In a tragic sequence of events that spanned two Florida cities, Yaroslav Stan Blyudoy, a 39-year-old White male, was found deceased on February 10, 2026, in Sarasota, Florida. His death was part of a horrifying murder spree that left a total of seven people dead, including the gunman. The incident began unfolding in the Amberlea subdivision, a gated community in Sarasota, around 12:24 p.m. when the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office received a call about a man being shot in front of a residence. Upon their arrival, deputies found neighbors attempting to render aid to a male victim in the front yard.
The grim discovery did not end there. Believing the victim's wife might be inside the house, deputies entered the home to find a scene of carnage. Inside, they located the bodies of four other individuals: two men and two women. All of the victims, including Blyudoy, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. More than 20 shell casings were later recovered from the residence. The other victims in the Sarasota home were identified as Olga Greinert, 49, Florita Stolyar, 66, and Anatoly Ioffe, 61.
The investigation quickly revealed that the Sarasota killings were connected to a double homicide that had occurred earlier the same day in Fort Lauderdale, approximately 200 miles away. In that incident, Larisa Blyudaya, 46, and her 18-year-old son, Ben Azivov, were found dead inside their home.
The suspect in this violent chain of events was identified as 51-year-old Russell Kot of Fort Lauderdale. Authorities determined that Kot had driven from Fort Lauderdale to the home in Sarasota. Security camera footage from a neighbor captured the suspect's vehicle entering the area shortly before the sound of gunfire was recorded. After killing the four victims in the Sarasota residence, Kot then took his own life. Investigators believe Kot first killed Greinert and Blyudoy, and then waited for Stolyar and Ioffe to return home before murdering them as well.
The motive for the horrific acts appears to be linked to a past relationship. Investigators learned that the suspect had been in a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims, Larisa Blyudaya, who was also connected to the victims in Sarasota. Specifically, Larisa Blyudaya was the daughter of Florita Stolyar, one of the victims in the Sarasota home. Following the murders of Greinert and Blyudoy in Sarasota, Kot reportedly sent a suicidal text message to his family members. With the suspect deceased, the investigation is considered closed as authorities have stated that all persons involved in the incident have been accounted for and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
