Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Pretty Deadly’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Signs Of A Psychopath’ chronicles two horrific homicide cases, including that of a Russian immigrant named Roman Roshchupkin. When he was discovered dead inside his house in Deerfield Township, Ohio, in the summer of 2020, the entire community was left shell-shocked, while his family in Russia was devastated. As the investigation was underway, the detectives were faced with several twists and turns, which ultimately led them to the perpetrator responsible for the gruesome crime.
Roman Roshchupkin Was Found Dead in His Home by His Brother-in-law
Born in 1986 as the only son of his parents, Roman Roshchupkin originally hailed from Voronezh, Russia. However, he spent his 20s in the United States after having moved there sometime in the late 2000s for better opportunities. In his pursuit of the American Dream, he encountered several ups and downs but took them all in his stride, embracing his journey with hope and resilience. After all, he was determined to make a good life for himself in the nation. Although geographical boundaries and other conditions prevented him from meeting them back in his home country, he was driven by the desire to make them proud. He was a hardworking, resilient, and compassionate individual who never hesitated to help those in need.
A reliable person, Roman’s friends adored him for his kindness, warmth, and wit. His infectious energy and sense of humor could lift the spirits of anyone in the room. By the time 2018 rolled around, he had been leading a fulfilling life in Ohio, as far as the professional aspect of his life was concerned. Things changed on the personal front in August, when his path crossed with Stormy Delehanty at a bar in Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati. In January 2019, after less than a year of knowing each other, they got into a relationship. Roman has been transparent about his immigrant status with Stormy. After a couple of months of dating, he proposed to her in March. The two tied the knot in August 2019.
Following their wedding, Roman moved in with Stormy, and they began the next chapter of their lives at Mallard Bay Apartments in Deerfield Township in Warren County. At the age of 34, he was building a future with the love of his life. Everything seemed to be going well in Roman’s life, and his loved ones couldn’t be happier for him. Unfortunately, his life was cut short on July 6, 2020. On the fateful day, the authorities received a call from Stormy’s brother, Daniel Delehanty, who found Roman dead in his apartment. Upon reaching the residence, the police began inspecting the scene for evidence. According to medical reports, Roman was stabbed around 39 times, with wounds to the back, neck, chest, and arm. The cause of death of the 34-year-old was determined to be multiple stab wounds.
Roman Roshchupkin’s Killer Fled the State After Committing Murder
As part of the homicide investigation, the authorities interviewed Roman Roshchupkin’s brother-in-law, Daniel Delehanty, who first came across the crime scene. He told them, “I haven’t seen her (Stormy Delehanty) or her husband in like two days, and I go into their room, and I find his body just wrapped up in blankets.” He also claimed that he couldn’t locate or get in touch with her sister. As Stormy was the last person to be seen with Roman, she became a person of interest. Digging deep into her activities in the days leading up to the murder, the detectives spotted her in the surveillance footage of a store where she bought cleaning supplies on July 5, just a day before Roman’s remains were found. The police also learned that she had a lengthy rap sheet. In 2019, she got involved in a drunk-driving incident, and during her arrest, she reportedly spat on deputies on duty. She was then placed on probation in April 2020.
As they launched a nationwide manhunt for Roman’s wife, Stormy Delehanty, they located her at the Boulder Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11, 2020, and apprehended her. During her arrest, the investigators found bloody knives inside her vehicle and a handwritten note that read, “On July 4th, I killed my husband accidentally.” She was then extradited to Warren County Jail in Lebanon, Ohio, where she was interviewed. In her first interview, she refused to cooperate, but a few days later, on August 8, 2020, she was interviewed again. This time, she claimed that she and Roman had been binge-drinking the entire day of July 4, 2020. As per accounts, she then blacked out before regaining consciousness and finding him dead inside their apartment. She was then charged with murder, two counts of felonious assault, and tampering with evidence.
Stormy Delehanty is Currently Incarcerated at an Ohio Prison Facility
Stormy Delehanty pleaded not guilty and decided to take matters into court. In March 2021, her murder trial in connection with the killing of her husband, Roman Roshchupkin, commenced. On March 24, she took the stand and told an entirely different story to the jurors. She told them that she and Roman had been drinking in their apartment on July 4, 2020, when she asked him for his phone to play some music. “I’m trying to fumble through his phone to play music. I do end up playing music. In the meantime, while I’m flipping through the music selection, I hit that button twice and it brings up all the open apps on his phone and so being a nosey wife, I started flashing through those and I click on his text messages. Within one of his text messages, I see a picture of a girl. She’s in a towel,” she said.
When Stormy allegedly confronted him about the same, she said that he screamed at her before he began being violent. She added. “…next thing I know, like I lead in my interview with Abshear, is I’m cleaning up blood. I don’t know what happened. After I hit my head on this, I do recall getting up, standing up, but that’s it.” Ultimately, on March 25, she was found guilty of all the charges against her, after the jury deliberated for about three hours. A few days later, Stormy’s sentencing hearing took place. During the hearing, she again took the stand and addressed the court.
She stated, “Words cannot rectify my actions, but I would like to apologize for them. I failed, and in turn, we lost a husband, son and friend, and for that, I acknowledge and I accept the responsibility for the anger, grief and sadness that I caused with the death of my husband…I’m sorry for taking that special man away and for the anguish that I caused.” In the end, she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 18 years. A couple of years later, she and her defense counsel filed an appeal to get her murder conviction overturned, but the appellate court denied her request. As of today, Stormy Delehanty is serving her sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio.
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