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The Investigative Committee said on July 25 that an acquaintance of Grigoryeva, a Kyrgyz-born resident of St. Petersburg, had been arrested on suspicion of killing the activist, who was found dead, apparently strangled and with multiple stab wounds, according to local media.

The man, whose name was not released, killed Grigoryeva during an altercation and had no political motive, the committee said.

A Google translation of the local media adds the information that the suspect had previous convictions, was also a native of Kyrgyz, knew Ms. Gregoryeva, was intoxicated, and the argument seemed to be of a domestic nature.

"As a result of materials collected by investigators about the deceased woman, it has been established that she led an asocial lifestyle, repeatedly drinking alcoholic beverages with various people, including the suspect," the committee said in a statement.

Aside from LGBT causes, Grigoryeva opposed Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and took part in rallies in support of political prisoners.

Grigoryeva's colleagues and friends say the 41-year-old had received multiple threats online and through other means.

In a July 25 statement on its Twitter feed, the U.S. embassy to Russia expressed "deep condolences to friends and relatives" of the late activist and called for a thorough investigation of the case.

"Yelena Grigoryeva was a brave defender of the LGBT community's rights, who participated in various civil initiatives. We call on the Russian authorities to hold a thorough and objective investigation," the statement said.

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Parents in a Pennsylvania school district are no longer being threatened with losing custody of their children if they don't pay their school lunch debt.

A letter was sent to parents in Wyoming Valley West, near Wilkes-Barre.

It said the district will take them to court for failing to provide food for their children.

Luzerne County officials insisted the district "cease and desist from making the representations" about placing their children in foster care, according to The Citizens Voice.

The district will send letters apologizing to parents, the newspaper reported, and future letters will threaten to send their kids to foster care.

"Hopefully that gets their attention and it certainly did, didn't it? I mean if you think about it you're here this morning because some parent's crying foul over he or she doesn't want to pay a debt. A debt attributable to feeding their kids. How shameful!" said Charles Coslett, the district's solicitor.

The district is owed more than $20,000 by about a thousand families.

Legal experts said the letter was legal, but the chances of a child being taken away are slim.

According to the local paper, the Wyoming Valley West school board rejected an offer from Todd Carmichael, the CEO of La Colombe Coffee Roasters headquartered in Philadelphia, to pay off over $22,000 worth of debt for local students.

In an op-ed Carmichael wrote that was published in the Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice on Tuesday, the businessman said that he had worked with his team to "reach out to the school district to let them know we were eager to donate the full amount outstanding, reported as $22,467."

"On Monday, we talked to School Board President Joseph Mazur to determine the best way to transfer the funds in order to wipe the slate clean and restore dignity to the 1,000 families who received these threatening letters," he continued.

"Shockingly, Mr. Mazur turned us down. I can't explain or justify his actions. Let me be clear: we offered over $22,000 with no strings attached. And he said 'No,'" Carmichael went on to write.

"Mr. Mazur, I am offering to pay this debt in full. By saying no, you are not just shaming families who elected you, but you are placing this burden on WVW taxpayers, and that is completely unfair," he added.

The op-ed comes days after a copy of a letter that the school district recently sent home to parents surfaced, in which parents were warned that their children could be recommended for foster care if they did not pay off their student lunch debts.

Mazur did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill on Tuesday.

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