The Murder of Lizaveta Hertsen

The attack in central Warsaw

In the early hours of February 25, 2024, Lizaveta Hertsen was attacked near Żurawia Street in the center of Warsaw. Prosecutors said the assailant threatened her with a knife, sexually assaulted her, strangled her and stole property from her. She was later found unconscious and taken to hospital.

Lizaveta died on March 1. She had moved from Belarus to Poland several years earlier and had built a life in Warsaw. Her death prompted memorials and public demonstrations focused on violence against women and the vulnerability of migrants and refugees.

Arrest and prosecution

Police arrested Dorian S. shortly after the attack. Investigators recovered evidence that Polish reporting said included Lizaveta's phone and items linked to the assault. The prosecution initially pursued attempted murder while she remained alive and changed the legal qualification after her death.

The trial began in Warsaw in December 2024. Dorian S. admitted the underlying attack but disputed that he intended to kill Lizaveta. Much of the evidentiary phase was held behind closed doors because the case involved sexual violence.

Life sentence in the first instance

On January 17, 2025, the Warsaw Regional Court found Dorian S. guilty of rape and murder and imposed life imprisonment to be served in a therapeutic system. The court also ordered compensation for Lizaveta's partner.

The first-instance ruling was not yet final. The defense challenged the judgment, including the assessment of the defendant's mental state and the severity of the sentence. Crime by Region therefore does not treat the January ruling alone as the end of the procedural history.

The appeal

The Warsaw Court of Appeal considered the defense arguments in October 2025 and postponed its decision until November 4. On that date, the appellate court upheld the life sentence. Contemporary reporting described the judgment as final under the ordinary appeal process.

The appellate court rejected the argument that Dorian S. had been criminally insane at the time of the crime and found no basis to disturb the lower court's assessment of the evidence or punishment. The final appellate result supports classifying the case as solved and adjudicated.

Current status

The murder of Lizaveta Hertsen is classified Solved / Adjudicated. Dorian S. was convicted of rape and murder, received life imprisonment and had that sentence upheld by the Warsaw Court of Appeal on November 4, 2025. The public record reviewed for this file does not support describing a different person as criminally responsible for the attack.

Timeline

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