Russell Kot identified as gunman who killed Florita Stolyar, Anatoly “Tony” Ioffe, Olga Greinert, Yaroslav Blyudoy before taking own life as Sarasota murder-suicide suspect linked to earlier Fort Lauderdale killings of ex-girlfriend Larisa Blyuday and another victim

A man accused of killing four people in a Sarasota neighborhood before dying by suicide has been identified as 51-year-old Russell Kot, who investigators say is also linked to a double homicide hours earlier in Fort Lauderdale.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded shortly before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday after a neighbor called 911 reporting a man shot outside a home in the Amberlea neighborhood near Proctor and McIntosh Roads. The caller said he heard a loud noise and found his neighbor lying in the yard with a gunshot wound.

Deputies arrived to find 61-year-old homeowner Anatoly “Tony” Ioffe receiving CPR from a neighbor. He was taken by emergency crews but was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Witnesses told deputies his wife might still be inside, prompting officers to enter the home, where they discovered four additional bodies — two men and two women — inside.

Investigators soon learned from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department that a double homicide there earlier that day might be connected. Authorities shared information about a suspect vehicle that had been seen traveling north through Punta Gorda before the Sarasota killings. Surveillance video later showed the vehicle entering the Amberlea neighborhood around 11:01 a.m., and a nearby Ring camera captured the sound of gunfire minutes later.

Detectives identified the Sarasota victims as 49-year-old Olga Greinert, 66-year-old Florita Stolyar, 39-year-old Yaroslav Blyudoy, and 61-year-old Anatoly Ioffe. Kot was also found dead inside the residence and is believed to be the shooter.

Authorities said Kot had previously been in a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims, identified as his ex-girlfriend Larisa Blyuday, who was killed along with another person earlier that day. Investigators believe that earlier case is connected to the Sarasota killings, though a motive has not been determined.

Officials said Kot had no known documented history of violence or mental health crises. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau.