Murder or injury
On October 5, reports emerged about Dmitry Kapyrin, a 63-year-old composer, visiting his son Vladimir Kapyrin, 36, once a keyboard player for the band Ruki Vverkh, who lives on Moscow’s Elninskaya Street. According to the agency, the father found his son on the floor. He said he tried to rouse him for a while, believing Vladimir was unconscious, but this effort did not succeed. The situation was reported by regnum as a basic account of events.
Later, the musician’s father posted on his VKontakte page that Vladimir is dead, or as he put it, brutally murdered in his home. According to TASS, investigators found no signs of a violent death on Vladimir’s body. Regnum cited a source indicating the father noticed a head wound, while law enforcement officials contended that Vladimir may have lost consciousness after a fall and then regained it.
In a follow-up statement, the concert director of Hands Up, Robert Poghosyan, confirmed the family’s distress. He said, yes, Vladimir had passed away, and relatives described a troubling scene, though the full details remained under investigation. The family sought to understand how such an event could occur.
According to TASS, the cause of death was reported as acute heart failure, though investigators continued their work. A source close to the family suggested Vladimir had a history of heavy drinking. Sergei Zhukov, the lead singer from Hands Up, commented on the tragedy, saying the entire group shared a sense of depression and grief.
Musician threatened by unknown persons
Accounts describe Vladimir’s father discovering him lying in a pool of blood with a fractured head, with marks of assault on the body. The father claimed that Vladimir had recently argued with unidentified individuals who had threatened him, and money and a mobile phone were reported missing from the home. He described Vladimir as lying helplessly, and noted an earlier street confrontation that may or may not be connected to the death. The timeline includes reports that a street beating occurred on October 2, with medical attention not sought, as Vladimir did not view his injuries as serious. When the family attempted to reach him on October 3, there was no reply, and Vladimir’s body was found on October 5 after his father traveled to the residence.
There were different accounts about the entry to Vladimir’s house, with the father stating the door had been opened from the inside with a key and expressing a belief that Vladimir alone controlled access. He also claimed that law enforcement had not shown him the musician’s face during the investigation.
Forensic medical examination results indicated that Vladimir did not die from the injuries, and the death was not classified as violent. Nevertheless, relatives remained convinced of foul play and intended to respect the official findings as much as possible while continuing to seek the truth. The family planned a funeral for October 11 at a cemetery near Pokrov in the Vladimir region, where the deceased had a family home. There was also a proposed farewell service in Moscow at a central church, following a family announcement posted on social media.
Who is Vladimir Kapyrin?
Vladimir Kapyrin, born on March 1, 1987, grew up in a family of musicians with a pianist and composer in his lineage. Following in his parents’ footsteps, he established himself as a jazz pianist, earning recognition at multiple festivals and competitions. He was a member of several ensembles, including Charisma, Hands Up, Alina Rostotskaya’s Jazzmobile, and the quartet led by People’s Artist Alexei Kuznetsov, and he accompanied Sergei Trofimov in performances. In his final public post he commented on the changing seasons and the creative pressure of his profession, noting a future filled with project work and demand. He shared concert photos and occasionally edited songs for his subscribers, a glimpse into his ongoing engagement with music up to his last updates on social media.