Viktoria Nasyrova.
Assistant District Attorney Konstantinos Litourgis told Queens jurors in opening statements Monday that 47-year-old Viktoria Nasyrova tried to murder Olga Tsvyk because “she was desperate to never return to Russia.”
“This woman concocted a cold and calculated plan to isolate Olga Tsyvk to get her alone in her room to poison her to try to kill her and to take her identity along with other valuables as well,” he said. “It was her identity she was after.”
“Evidence will show Olga Tsvyk was a pretty good lookalike for the defendant,” said Litourgis.
Litourgis said Tsvyk, who was from the Ukraine, was especially vulnerable because she had no family in the U.S. “This person was the perfect target for the defendant.”
Tsvyk, an eyelash stylist, met Nasyrova at the salon where Tsvyk worked in 2016. Nasyrova became a customer of hers.
Litourgis said Tsvyk divulged to Nasyrova that she was getting her employment authorization card soon.
Tsvyk testified Monday that Nasyrova told her, “I want to bring you some famous cheesecake from a famous bakery.' I told her, ‘Viktoria, that’s not needed, just come over,'” she said,FOX Newsreported.
Tsvyk told the jury that Nasyrova ate two slices of cheesecake and left her one. Prosecutors alleged the cheesecake was laced with phenazepam — a powerful Russian-made tranquilizer.
Tsvyk said she became ill about 20 minutes later.
“I told her, ‘Vika, I’m going to throw up right now.’ She said, ‘Don’t worry about it, I will clean it up.’ I remember she went to the bathroom and came back with Bounty,” Tsvyk said.
Litourgis alleged Nasyrova stole almost $4,000 in cash, a red purse, a ring as well as Tsvyk’s Ukrainian passport and U.S. issued employment authorization card.
She allegedly then staged the crime scene to look like a suicide.
Litourgis said Nasyrova left her DNA on the container of cheesecake. “You’re going to learn that there’s a cheesecake container that had [tranquilizer] Phenazepam in it and also had the defendant’s DNA on it,” he said.
Nasyrova’s attorney, Christopher Hoyt, told the jury that, “This is not an open-and-shut case. We are here today because Ms. Nasyrova is not guilty of these charges,“CBS Newsreported.
Defendant Is Wanted for Murder in Russia
Nasyrova allegedly managed to elude investigators for nearly a year, but was captured March 20, 2017. She was charged with attempted murder, burglary, attempted assault, reckless endangerment, assault, unlawful imprisonment, grand larceny, possession of stolen property and larceny.
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Nasyrova is wanted in Russia on murder charges in connection with the the 2014 death of 54-year-old Alla Aleksenko. Nasyrova fled to New York after she was accused of swindling the woman out of her money.
Nasyrova allegedly seduced the lead detective in her prosecution, and he allegedly facilitated her escape.
She has denied any involvement in Aleksenko’s death.
The trial continues.
source: people.com
