‘Fly away, I don’t want to know you’: court reads slain Kazan woman's chat with husband

Two weeks before her husband slit her throat, 34-year-old Kazan resident Elena Ryabinina asked him — Turkish and German citizen Ecfele Mete — to fly out of Kazan and not waste time trying to reconcile. The deceased made the request in a text exchange read aloud at the court hearing.

On 8 May 2025 (two weeks before the murder), Mete informed Elena he would arrive in Kazan on 11 May. The couple, who were in the process of divorcing, exchanged messages, which were translated into Russian.

— Dear Elena, I will be in Kazan this Sunday, — wrote Ecfele.

— Dear Elena, you treat me like a stranger, — he added.

— Dear Elena, — the defendant wrote again.

— Hello, thank you. On Sunday I will text you the location midweek; we have a schedule. I’m not saying “no,” I’m saying “yes” to meeting with our son. I’m not a woman with nothing to do; you give me more work, and I have to work 24 hours. On Saturday I’ll tell you the time and place, — Elena replied.

— You should also know — it’s over with me. The end. Don’t waste your time. Better fly away from here and don’t make me nervous, — she added.

— Dear, I won’t make you nervous. I accept everything you say, that we can be normal, — Mete responded.

To that message, Elena sent some document with the comment: “You’ve been trying to [deceive, annoy] me for all these 3.5 years; fly away, I don’t want to know or see you.”

— Dear, this time was very hard. You didn’t answer. But if you still call me and come to Germany — what will I do? I write this because I can fly with our son alone. And you tell me you don’t want to come. Why are you attacking me now, dear? — Mete messaged.

After part of the correspondence was read, the defendant said he did not want the media present during the reading of another part. Therefore, the rest was read without journalists.

The exchange was found on his phone, which he is currently examining himself. Additionally, the state prosecutor said the case file also includes Ecfele’s chats with various women.

“While married to Ryabinina, the accused Ecfele Mete sent messages on social networks and messengers to many girls and women from different countries — Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia (Samara). He actively tries to get acquainted, carries on dialogues, asks for photos. He sends his own photos and offers the girls to fly to Turkey and Germany,” the prosecutor said.

Recall, the tragedy occurred on 24 May 2025. According to the Investigative Committee, Ecfele Mete tracked down 34-year-old gymnastics school director Elena Ryabinina in Kazan, came to her apartment in the Volzhskaya Gavan residential complex, and out of jealousy slit her throat in front of their 3-year-old son.

Mete also wounded the child in the head, then climbed onto the balcony threatening suicide, but eventually surrendered to police. The man faces a life sentence. During his arrest, Ecfele did not admit guilt.

That day, Elena planned to celebrate her son’s birthday at a cafe and invited relatives, but she never arrived. Her family went to her home and found her body.