According to Mysterious Universe, several of Nikolai Dzhumagaliev’s teeth were broken during a physical altercation. Although the teeth were repaired, the repairs were made with sharp-edged metal and earned him the nickname “metal fang.” Dzhumagaliev eventually settled in Uzynagash, where he was gainfully employed as a firefighter. However, his life took a difficult and ultimately dark turn when he was diagnosed with the sexually transmitted diseases syphilis and trichomoniasis. As both diseases can cause mental health issues, it has been suggested that his experiences with such problems may have been triggered by the diseases.
Shortly following his diagnosis, Mysterious Universe reports Dzhumagaliev began having obsessive thoughts about hunting humans. In January 1979, he hunted down and killed his first victim. During a later interview, Dzhumagaliev said, “I always loved to hunt, often went hunting, but this was my first time hunting a woman. … I felt my heart pound within me and I ran after her. … I caught up with her and put my arm around her neck, dragged her to the side of the landfill. She resisted, and then I cut her throat with a knife. Then I drank her blood.”
Read Related Also: Crime Tales with Nancy Grace: Memphis ‘LIVE-STREAM KILLER’ SHOOTS 7, Smiles for Digicam
In addition to drinking the woman’s blood, he also dismembered her body and eventually cooked and consumed pieces of her flesh. Dzhumagaliev later dumped her remains in a remote wooded area, where they were discovered by police. However, authorities did not identify any suspects, and the case was declared cold.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
