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Ex-Checkers player charged with first-degree murder

Grand jury indicts hockey player Bogdan Rudenko in the death of a man in Stallings last year.

Rudenko

A Union County grand jury has indicted former Charlotte Checkers hockey player Bogdan Rudenko on a first-degree murder count in the death of a man in Stallings last December.
County District Attorney John Snyder said he intends to file a motion today for a hearing where he will announce whether he is seeking the death penalty for Rudenko. That hearing will be in the next two weeks, Snyder said. The indictment was handed up Monday.
Rudenko, 32, of south Charlotte, was indicted on one count of murder in the death of Yuriy Anatolevich Kharitonov, also known as Yuriy Anatolevich Kharutokov.
The 32-year-old victim, who had no permanent address, was found in the woods near an auto body shop in the 13600 block of East Independence Boulevard. Police had responded to a call about a break-in at the shop, Alexis Automotive. Kharitonov died of a gunshot wound from a handgun, according to police.
Authorities have described Rudenko and Kharitonov as associates but have not discussed a motive. Both were from the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan.
Rudenko was arrested Christmas morning in Colorado. He was returned to North Carolina last month after deciding he no longer would fight extradition, and is being held without bond in Union County Jail.
Rudenko's attorney, Joe VonKallist, declined to comment.
Rudenko played for the Checkers during part of the 2004-05 season. His 18-year minor league career was spent with 14 teams, mostly in North America. He last played for a team during the 2008-09 season. Kharitonov played minor league hockey for five seasons in Kazakhstan and Russia between 1998 and 2008.