Jurijus Kadamovas

Jurijus Kadamovas (born October 22, 1966) and Iouri Gherman Mikhel (born April 9, 1965) are Soviet-born American serial killers who immigrated to the United States from Lithuania and Russia, respectively.

They are currently on federal death row for five kidnappings and murders.

Jurijus Kadamovas was born on October 22, 1966, in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Iouri Gherman Mikhel was born on April 9, 1965, in Leningrad, USSR.

Both men were foreign nationals who emigrated to the United States and lived in Los Angeles, California.

They each owned a house in San Fernando Valley, with Kadamovas living in Sherman Oaks and Mikhel living in Encino.

The men owned a joint business called Designed Water World, which was a fish aquarium store located on Ventura Boulevard.

The kidnappings occurred over a four-month period beginning in late 2001, in which the kidnappers demanded ransom.

Documents related to the case allege the crew demanded a total of more than $5.5 million from relatives and associates, and received more than $1 million from victim's relatives.

Prosecutors said the victims were killed regardless of whether the ransoms were paid.

The bodies were tied with weights, and dumped in the New Melones Lake near Yosemite National Park.

Federal prosecutors sought the death penalty under murder during a hostage-taking, (18 U.S.C. 1203), a federal crime.

In October 2001, Kadamovas and Mikhel came up with a plan to lure and kidnap 58-year-old Meyer Muscatel, a local real-estate developer.

Mikhel posed as a businessman interested in buying real estate.

Muscatel was lured to Mikhel's house in Encino where Kadamovas and another accomplice were waiting.

Muscatel was bound, handcuffed, duct-taped and pistol whipped in the head.

His wallet and credit cards were taken and he was then questioned about his finances.

Kadamovas and Mikhel attempted to withdraw money from his account but the bank account was frozen.

Muscatel was then injected with diphenhydramine and pinned to the ground, where Mikhel placed a plastic bag over his head and suffocated him to death.

Muscatel's body was then taken in Kadamovas’ van to the New Melones Lake.

The pair then tossed his body off Parrotts Ferry Bridge into the reservoir.

Their next target was 37-year-old George Safiev, a wealthy Russian businessman who lived in Beverly Hills.

In December 2001, the pair abducted Safiev's financial advisor, 39-year-old Rita Pekler, who was pregnant at the time.

Kadamovas had contacted Pekler pretending to be interested in real estate transaction.

She was lured to his Sherman Oaks home where Mikhel, armed with a handgun and stun gun, was waiting with two other accomplices.

When Pekler arrived, Mikhel restrained her and told her to contact Safiev.

She made contact but Safiev told her he was too busy to meet.

Pekler was then injected with diphenhydramine and strangled to death.

Her body was also thrown off the Parrotts Ferry Bridge into the reservoir.

The third victim was 35-year-old Alexander Umansky, who owned an automobile shop.

In December 2001, Mikhel posed as a customer and pretended to need audio equipment installed in several cars.

Umansky was lured to the home of Kadamovas where he was ambushed.

Kadamovas sat him on a chair and handcuffed him.

He had his keys, telephone, and wallet taken from him and was then questioned about his finances.

Umansky was held captive in the house for three days, during which he was forced to call his brother and beg for money to secure his release.

Kadamovas and Mikhel also sent the Umansky family a ransom note demanding nearly $235,000.

The family contacted the FBI, where they were advised to pay a part of the ransom.

They later received a call in which other family members were threatened, forcing them to pay the rest of the money.

The money was transferred to an account in the United Arab Emirates.

On March 12, 2007, Kadamovas and Mikhel were sentenced to death.

Four others were sentenced for participating in the plot, receiving sentences ranging from 11 years to life imprisonment.