Sarasota, Florida — A quiet, gated community was shaken on Tuesday when a gunman took the lives of four people in Sarasota, then turned the gun on himself, in a tragic continuation of violence that began earlier that day with a double homicide in Fort Lauderdale. This series of events emerged as the deadliest day of violence in Sarasota County’s history.
Authorities arrived at a distressing scene in the Amberlea neighborhood around midday following a 911 call reporting a shooting. A man, later identified by deputies as Russell Kot, 51, fatally shot an individual in the front yard of a residence on Fallcrest Circle. Despite immediate lifesaving attempts by neighbors, the victim succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
As deputies searched the home for other potential victims or perpetrators, they discovered four additional bodies — two men and two women, all of whom had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators found over 20 shell casings scattered throughout the house, stark evidence of the violent acts that had unfolded.
The Sarasota victims were identified as Olga Greinert, 49; Yaroslav “Stan” Blyudoy, 39; Florita “Rita” Stolyar, 66; and her husband, Anatoly “Tony” Ioffe, 61. According to the sheriff’s office, the sequence of the killings indicated that Greinert and Blyudoy were murdered first, followed by Stolyar and Ioffe upon their return to the house.
While processing the crime scene in Sarasota, detectives learned of an earlier double homicide in Fort Lauderdale involving 46-year-old Larisa Blyudaya and her 19-year-old son, Ben Azizov. Fort Lauderdale police found the bodies during a wellness check at their Victoria Park home approximately 200 miles south of Sarasota. This discovery linked Kot to both locations, painting a grim picture of the events.
Investigators pieced together Kot’s movements before the murders, revealing that he was once a resident in Blyudaya’s home and had a relationship with her prior to their separation in the previous year. This connection extended to the Sarasota victims, as Kot was known to have stayed at their home and cared for their pets during his time in Florida.
Security footage supported investigators’ timeline, showing Kot’s vehicle heading north through Punta Gorda hours before the Sarasota attack, with additional footage capturing his arrival at Amberlea.
The search of Kot’s vehicle was revealing as it contained two handguns, ammunition, an assortment of knives, as well as rope, tape, and an axe — raising questions about any further intentions he may have had.
Immediate response by the sheriff’s department included precautionary lockdowns of nearby schools, including Sarasota Middle School and Suncoast Technical College, among others, which remained in place briefly until it was clear there was no broader threat.
Residents of the community, still reeling from the shock, saw increased police presence as law enforcement officials set up a media staging area at a local church and checked IDs at the community entrance to restrict access to the area.
The tragedy marks an unprecedented violent outbreak in Sarasota County, with no prior incidents involving such a high number of victims at once. The sheriff’s office noted two previous 911 calls from the home, though specifics were not provided, adding another layer of complexity to the investigation as authorities continue to seek motives behind the killings.
Family members of the victims have expressed their devastation over the events, describing the losses as profoundly impactful and grappling with the sudden logistical and emotional challenges they now face.