Hikers skeleton found chained to tree with handcuffs two years after going missing

Russian police are seeking to unravel a mystery over a failed Houdini, whose skeleton was found chained to a tree with handcuffs in a forest, two years after he went missing.

A major search had failed to find hiker and adventurer Ivan Klyucharev, 30, until the discovery of his remains in Shatura district of Moscow region.

Law enforcement say their main version of what happened is that the survival skills fanatic tried to recreate a Harry Houdini escape trick, but blundered and died in the remote location after leaving on a trip in May 2017, say media reports.

However, they are also examining evidence that he was into bizarre sexual practices and could have died while filming a BDSM experiment.

Another line of enquiry is that Klyucharev, a courier, was murdered, and the crime scene was set up to make it look like he had killed himself in a bizarre accident.

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His remains were found in a lying position and he was handcuffed to a chain which was secured around a tree.

Close to his skeleton was the solo hikers tent and a camera pointed at himself.

At the scene were five sets of handcuffs, three metal chains, six padlocks and a book on knots.

Police are examining the cameras memory card and his computer, where reports say there is evidence of his interest in BDSM sex.

Some reports say that only his left hand was handcuffed to a chain attached to a tree.

Detectives suppose that the man could have locked himself to the tree and have hurt himself too, reported Moskovsky Komsomolets, citing evidence that the death may have had a sexual motive.

But this is just one of several versions.

A scared local man called Eduard Karpov came across the gruesome sight, spotting Klyucharevs skull, still wearing a hoodie.

The rest of his skeleton was covered in leaves.

The Russian Investigative Committee said: He was on the list of missing persons.

It has been established that the man was a member of a community that practiced survival skills in extreme conditions.

Forensic analysis has been ordered to establish the exact cause of deathRead More – Source