A Russian woman, formerly a nanny for Russian-speaking families in Washington, was convicted of killing her husband’s first wife and her minor son. However, new forensic evidence from Virginia may be grounds for re-examining her case.
Forensic experts in Virginia have issued a new conclusion regarding a key piece of evidence in the case of Natalya Leshchenko-Wilson, who is currently serving two life sentences in the U.S. for the double murder. Her lawyer, Alexey Tarasov, informed TASS that this new evidence significantly boosts the chances of her sentence being overturned.
Tarasov clarified that the discussion centers on a bloodstain found on the sweatpants of Natalia Leshchenko-Wilson, who was convicted for the murder of Bulgarian national Slavka Naydenova and her minor son. The prosecution previously suggested that the blood may belong to one of the two victims, or potentially to Leshchenko-Wilson herself or her daughter.
Tarasov revealed that forensic experts in Virginia conducted further examinations and statistical analyses to ascertain whose blood was present on these pants. The experts concluded that it was almost certain the blood belonged to Leshchenko-Wilson. However, the probability that it also belonged to Naydenova was not established.
Tarasov assessed the statistical data, indicating that the DNA of several hundred people in the United States could theoretically match the sample found on the pants along with Leshchenko-Wilson’s blood. He also highlighted that the likelihood of the blood belonging to Naydenova’s 8-year-old son was statistically negligible. The expert report is set to be officially released soon, but the defense has already been informed of its conclusions.
The lawyer emphasized that this new evidence could significantly impact the reconsideration of Leshchenko-Wilson’s sentence. The case is currently with the Federal Court in the Eastern District of Virginia. The defense is challenging the decision of the state Supreme Court, and this new forensic report could prove pivotal. Tarasov noted that this development was unexpected as far as the defense was concerned.
He explained that the absence of biological evidence directly linking Leshchenko-Wilson to the crime weakens the prosecution’s case. The defense team awaits the final report, which they plan to analyze thoroughly before submitting the corresponding motions to the court.
Case of Natalia Leshchenko-Wilson
Natalia Leshchenko-Wilson, who had been employed as a nanny for Russian-speaking families in Washington, was convicted of murdering Lester Wilson’s first wife, Naydenova, and her minor son on February 2, 2010. She is currently detained in a maximum-security prison in Virginia.
The defense has consistently argued that Leshchenko-Wilson’s confession was coerced due to extreme psychological pressure exerted by the police. Tarasov noted that Leshchenko-Wilson was threatened with death during the interrogation. He criticized the evidence used for her 2012 conviction as fabricated, highlighting significant constitutional violations during the investigation. According to U.S. legal standards, these factors could suffice for the conviction to be overturned.
Source: Ivan Pilshchikov, ITAR-TASS, August 21, 2015.
