Skeleton of 'failed Houdini' is found handcuffed to a tree in front of a video camera, two years after he went missing in Russia

The skeleton of a suspected 'failed Houdini' has been found handcuffed to a tree in Russia two years after he went missing.

Ivan Klyucharev, 30, was last seen in May 2017 and a major search had failed to locate him until his remains were found in Shatura, 80 miles from Moscow.

Russian police say their main theory is that the hiker and survival skills fanatic tried to recreate a Harry Houdini escape trick, but failed to pull it off and died in the forest.

However detectives are also examining evidence that he may have died in a bizarre sexual experiment.

They are also examining whether Klyucharev could have been murdered and the crime scene faked to look like an accident.

The courier's body was found in a lying position, and he was handcuffed to a chain which was secured around a tree.

Nearby was a one-man tent and a camera pointing towards him, as well as five sets of handcuffs, three metal chains, six padlocks and a book on knots.

Klyucharev had earlier hitchhiked across Russia and often went on walking trips to remote spots.

One friend of the dead man aid: 'I can easily imagine that he went to the forest and decided to try his luck this way by chaining himself and throwing away the keys.'

112 Telegram channel said that the man's unnamed mother had been searching for her son for two years but to no avail.

The forest where he was found had previously been searched several times in vain.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6931007/Skeleton-failed-Houdini-handcuffed-tree-Russia.html

How creepy, and what a horrible way to die

Tree Hugger ?

HoratioTarr wrote:How creepy, and what a horrible way to die

And undignified too. :-(
A grinning skeleton handcuffed to a tree is not how anyone expects to end.  
He did it without any back up plans in place? Crazy!
If it's the ruskies who did him in - well, they have form. Plenty of form, going back centuries!!