Murder of Aigul Sailybayeva: Husband Among Key Suspects in Ongoing Investigation

The death of 40-year-old Aigul Sailybayeva became publicly known approximately a year and a half ago. The former judge from Kazakhstan was 24 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. She had been living in Germany with her husband and young daughter and, according to relatives, had reduced contact with family members roughly a year before the incident. According to media reports, on June 4, 2024, Sailybayeva took her daughter to kindergarten and then disappeared. Two weeks later, volunteers discovered a suitcase containing human remains near a lake outside the town of Bensheim in the German state of Hesse. Forensic experts reported multiple stab wounds and chemical burns on the body. Case Timeline Open-source reporting indicates that on June 4, 2024, Sailybayeva dropped her child off at a kindergarten in Bensheim and subsequently stopped responding to messages and calls. Relatives in Kazakhstan reported her missing after failing to reach her. Her husband, Alexander Dontsov, reportedly was unable to clearly account for her whereabouts. On June 16, volunteers found a suitcase containing remains near a lake outside Bensheim. German authorities opened a murder investigation. Forensic findings cited stab wounds and chemical burns. Several media outlets, citing investigative sources, reported that the fatal incident may have occurred on the day of her disappearance. According to these reports, a domestic conflict allegedly took place, after which Dontsov contacted his mother, Natalya Dontsova. It has also been claimed that the couple’s daughter may have been present. These details are based on media leaks and have not been confirmed by a final court ruling. Investigators reportedly documented cleaned blood traces in the residence and seized an object believed to be a possible weapon. Media reports state that fingerprints attributed to the mother-in-law were found on it. Authorities also noted that shortly after the disappearance, Alexander Dontsov left Germany with the child for Russia, and his mother flew to Moscow the following day. By July 2024, German authorities had placed Natalya Dontsova on an international wanted list via Interpol. A criminal case was also opened in Kazakhstan under articles related to torture and violent death. The victim’s parents publicly accused their son-in-law and his mother of involvement in the killing. Through late 2024 and 2025, additional investigative details appeared in the press. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs sent inquiries to Russia regarding the suspects’ citizenship status. Russian authorities initiated checks following media reports that the Dontsovs might be in Moscow. In February 2026, journalists reported that both individuals were in Moscow. According to these reports, Alexander Dontsov works as a research fellow at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University. Natalya Dontsova also resides in Moscow and reportedly declined to testify, invoking her constitutional rights. The investigation remains ongoing. Who Was Aigul Sailybayeva Sailybayeva was a Kazakh lawyer and former judge who previously worked in Kazakhstan’s judicial system. She later lived in the United Kingdom, where she met Alexander Dontsov, and in 2020 moved to Germany with her husband and daughter....