The well-known Russian historian who occupied the headlines of the macabre murder appeared in a St. Petersburg courthouse this Monday.

Oleg Sokolov, a 63-year-old professor at St. Petersburg State University, is the prime suspect in the murder of one of his former students, Anastasia Yeshchenko.

Over the weekend, the historian was drawn from the river Moika, in the heart of the city. In the bag, there were two shattered wings and a firearm.

Authorities told state-run RIA-Novosti media that Yeshcheno's body was found in Sokolov's apartment. The victim was 24 years old.

In court, Sokolov said, according to local media outlet fontanka.ru, "I deeply regret it."

He said he had been living with the victim for five years. "I considered her a bride and told my friends we would get married," Sokolov said. He also described the altercation with his children that resulted in a macabre crime.

Sokolov was taken to Kresty, a detention center, where he will stay for two months.

Yeshchenko came to St. Petersburg from Kasnodar, in southern Russia, to study. She did research under the tutelage of Sokolov.

Authorities are investigating other allegations that say Sokolov used violence against his students.

Sokolov is a specialist in French military history and a professor at the Department of Modern and Contemporary History at St. Petersburg State University.

He was also a member of the French-based Institute of Social, Economic and Political Sciences (ISSEP) founded by Marion Marecha, granddaughter of Marine le Pen, leader of the French far-right party.

On Saturday, the institute announced that Sokolov had been dismissed from the scientific committee.

Source: CNN