Husband of missing Ottawa woman charged with first-degree murder

Ottawa police are laying a murder charge in connection with the case of a missing woman in the nation’s capital.

Viktor Konokhov, 63, of Ottawa, is facing first-degree murder. He is the husband of Olga Konokhova, 64, who has been missing since January.

In a release, officers said Olga last made contact with someone in the winter and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance were considered suspicious. Her remains have not been found by police, and the investigation is ongoing.

Officials are saying this is considered a femicide, the second of the year and the sixth homicide.

Police describe femicide as “the killing of women and girls because of their gender.”

In 2024, Ottawa police were the first force in Canada to use the term, hoping to recognize the increasing epidemic of violence.

Violence against women increasing

There was a 6 per cent increase in the number of incidents of intimate partner violence in the nation’s capital year-over-year.

Ottawa police detail that there were 7,840 intimate partner violence incidents reported, where the vast majority (80 per cent) of victims are women or girls. The statistics were released in January, showcasing the year prior’s numbers.

The numbers are equal to about an average of 21 calls per day related to intimate partner violence. This is an increase from an average of 18 calls a day in 2024.

There were four femicides in 2025.

Data from Ottawa police shows the number of intimate partner violence incidents has gone up. (Natasha O’Neill/CityNews)
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