Sentence upheld: eight years and five months in prison for fatal shooting in Kohtla-Järve

Estonia's Supreme Court has dismissed a cassation appeal filed by the lawyer of 37-year-old Aleksandr Stepanishchev, who was convicted of killing a man in Kohtla-Järve. As a result, the guilty verdict issued by the Tartu Circuit Court has entered into force, and Stepanishchev will serve eight years and five months in prison.

In June, the Tartu Circuit Court, after re-examining the case, found Stepanishchev guilty of murder with indirect intent and sentenced him to eight years and five months of imprisonment.

A case reviewed multiple times

The criminal case has already gone through several rounds of review. Initially, Viru County Court sentenced the man to 10 years in prison for intentional murder. The circuit court later reclassified the charge as causing death by negligence and reduced the sentence to 2 years and 3 months. However, in February 2026 the Supreme Court overturned that ruling and sent the case back for a new review, stating that the theory of an accidental shot had not been properly substantiated.

Upon re-examination, the appellate court again concluded that Stepanishchev, after returning to the scene of the conflict with an illegally stored weapon, was aware of the possible consequences of his actions. The court also took into account mitigating circumstances, including an attempt to help the victim, cooperation with the investigation, and remorse, in setting the final sentence of eight years and five months of imprisonment.

What happened

The incident occurred on May 27, 2024, in the Ahtme district. According to investigators, a conflict broke out between Stepanishchev and his 23-year-old acquaintance while they were drinking alcohol together, escalating into a fight. After the argument, the defendant went home, retrieved an illegally kept sawn-off shotgun, and returned to confront the other man. During the ensuing struggle, a shot was fired that struck the victim in the neck, and he died from the wound.