Man Found Guilty of Murder in Stabbing of Nine-Year-Old Girl
A man has been convicted of murder for stabbing a nine-year-old girl in the heart as she played with a hula hoop in the street. Deividas Skebas, aged 26, attacked Lilia Valutyte in the town centre of Boston, Lincolnshire, while she was playing outside her mother's embroidery shop on July 28, 2022.
Jury Rejects Manslaughter Plea Based on Diminished Responsibility
The Lithuanian defendant had admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but a jury at Lincoln Crown Court found him guilty of murder on Thursday. There was no dispute that Skebas, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, killed Lilia, but the jury had to determine his state of mind at the time of the attack.
Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan KC told jurors earlier this week, 'This deliberate murder was clearly a wicked act. He knew his conduct was wrong. He knew he was killing a child.' Skebas is scheduled to be sentenced on February 25.
Heartbreaking Victim Impact Statements from Grieving Family
In a victim impact statement read by her husband, Aurelijus Savickas, Lilia's mother, Lina Savickiene, expressed her profound grief. 'During these nine years we lived life fully, we visited many places, we didn't stand still,' she said. 'This is not something you recover from. Sometimes terrifying thoughts overwhelm the mind, and during this trial, there have been many, many more. Why her? Why us? The questions remain unanswered.'
Mr Savickas, who became Lilia's stepfather when she was three, added in his statement, 'From that moment we walked our journey together. Becoming her stepfather was new for both of us, but I loved her as my own and always tried to be there for her. Lilia, you will always live in our hearts, you are forever loved, forever missed.'
Defence Claims Delusions and Unusual Statements After Killing
During the trial, defence barrister Andrew Campbell-Tiech KC told the jury that Skebas was 'quite obviously deluded.' He noted that clinicians treating the killer doubted he would recover. The court heard that after the killing, Skebas claimed he had 'the power to resurrect' Lilia if the police contacted 'his controller in Nasa.'
Skebas was transferred from prison to Rampton Hospital in December 2022. It is believed he grew up in Leliūnai, Lithuania, worked with his father in Norway for some time, and later moved to the UK to work in a factory.
