He was initially poisoned with cyanide. Then he was stabbed and shot
several times. Believing he was dead, his assassins bound him, wrapped
him in a cloth and submerged his body in the freezing waters of the
Neva River. When his body was finally found it seemed that he had
miraculously struggled to free himself of his bonds - which means that
he had finally died of drowning. No police investigation into the
assassination was ever conducted.