MOSCOW, June 26 (Itar-Tass) — Investigators will be able to identify the killer of the five-year-old boy in the Vladimir region, Investigative Committee /SK/ spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.
"The data obtained forensically with the assistance of specialists from the SK central office will help identify the criminal," Markin said adding that the manhunt is continuing round the clock and that more than 300 men have been checked for possible involvement.
The SK warned the mass media against disseminating unobjective data on the child murder case. "We note that the mass media are continuing to carry unobjective and unverified information and cite investigative bodies, alleging other attacks on other small children; some reports said the criminal has been caught and commented on law-enforcement bodies' actions. In this connection, we again warn the mass media representatives about the inadmissibility of spreading unverified information that unsettles the situation, causes unnecessary panic and biased attitude toward the investigators," the spokesman said.
Markin said the investigators were carrying out a wide range of measures aimed at ascertaining the identity of and detaining the criminal. Several forensic and biological expert examinations of the footprints, objects and particles found during repeated searches of the scene will be carried out.
The territory of the search spans the Vladimir region and the neighboring provinces. The witnesses helped the investigators to reconstruct the tragedy in detail.
"The Investigative Committee states that the purposeful work towards solving the first degree murder of the small child will continue until a positive result is obtained," Markin said.
Bogdan Prakhov was abducted in the outskirts of the village of Gribovo, Petushky district, Vladimir region, from the territory of a gardening cooperative on June 19.
"A man who came out of the forest kidnapped the boy as he was riding his bicycle, and disappeared with him in an unknown direction. The child's body was found in the forest 700 meters from the scene of the abduction on the next day.
"According to preliminary expert estimates, the boy died of head injury. Forensic examinations will determine the time of death and whether other bodily injuries were inflicted," the SK said.
All the Vladimir region police were looking for the boy, and the Defense Ministry sent teams of servicemen to assist. Criminal proceedings were opened over abduction of a minor.
Experienced forensic experts from the SK central office were sent to the Vladimir region to help probe the murder.