Three suspects brought to court in paramedic murder case, ex-wife denies guilt
Three suspects in the murder of emergency paramedic Mantas Sadauskas were brought before Panevėžys District Court on Thursday, where judges will decide whether to approve their detention, LRT.lt reports. The victim’s ex-wife, one of the suspects, denies the charges of intentional homicide and unlawful deprivation of liberty.
The first suspect, a 34-year-old man identified as Vilius Solkanas, was brought to court at 10 a.m. He remained silent, concealing his face, and did not respond when asked if he admitted guilt. Prosecutors requested a two-month pretrial detention for Solkanas, who faces charges of murder and unlawful deprivation of liberty. His lawyer, Egidija Belevičienė, declined to comment on the case, citing confidentiality rules during pretrial investigations.
A second male suspect, reportedly Solkanas’s father, was brought in around 11 a.m. He also hid his face with paper and ignored questions. Prosecutors sought a one-month detention for this suspect, who is accused of illegal possession of a firearm. Lukas Krivickas, a prosecutor from the Panevėžys Regional Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed charges had been filed but did not specify the type of weapon involved, stating that forensic experts were still examining it.
The third suspect, Justina Gaigalaitė, the victim’s ex-wife, arrived at court around 1 p.m. She covered her face with her hands and did not answer journalists’ questions. Prosecutors requested a maximum three-month detention for Gaigalaitė, who is charged with intentional homicide and unlawful deprivation of liberty. Krivickas confirmed she had stated her position but declined to disclose details, including whether she admitted guilt.
Sadauskas’s body was discovered on the property where Solkanas was detained. Gaigalaitė, though living separately from the victim during divorce proceedings, was also present at the scene. The investigation remains ongoing, with no further details released about the suspects’ alleged roles or motives.