Hundreds gather to mourn paramedic Mantas Sadauskas in emotional farewell

Hundreds of mourners, including fellow paramedics, motorcyclists, and residents, gathered on Saturday to bid farewell to 31-year-old Mantas Sadauskas, a paramedic brutally killed in Panevėžys district, reports LRT.lt and ELTA. His funeral procession drew crowds along the route as the young father of two was laid to rest in Raguvėlė cemetery, Anykščiai district.

Photographer Orestas Gurevičius described the scene to ELTA: “Hundreds of people, hundreds of cars stop along the road to pay their respects. Some bow their heads in public places, as they do in Ukraine for the fallen. The whole city is grieving.” The cortege, accompanied by motorcyclists—a nod to Sadauskas’ passion for bikes—departed at 1 PM toward the cemetery. Black-ribboned vehicles lined the streets beyond Panevėžys, where colleagues from Panevėžys, Kaunas, and other regions joined family and friends in mourning.

Up to 100 medical colleagues and bikers arrived on Sunday to pay their respects, according to Gurevičius. At Panevėžys’ “Ramybės takas” funeral home, visitors had been gathering since Saturday afternoon to honor Sadauskas, remembered as a dedicated professional and sports enthusiast. “He was a very good man, gentle, and a wonderful grandson,” his grandmother said through tears. “I don’t know what else to say.”

A relative, speaking to reporters, alleged the killing was premeditated, criticizing law enforcement for failing to intervene despite long-standing tensions. “This didn’t happen out of the blue. Where is our justice system looking? She [the suspect, Justina Sadauskienė] used to wander around at night, knocking on doors. A normal person doesn’t do that.” The relative accused the suspect of being “vengeful” and called for accountability: “I want to tell Justina: rot in hell! And in prison first. We won’t let this go.”

Sadauskas’ body was discovered Tuesday buried on a property in Panevėžys district, allegedly wrapped in a trampoline—part of his family’s rental business. Authorities found a weapon at the scene. His father told media Sadauskas had left Monday morning to deliver a trampoline for a children’s party, but the customer’s details were later deleted from records. The suspect, his estranged wife, was detained shortly after.

Colleagues from Panevėžys’ Emergency Medical Services (GMP), including his supervisor Rūta Ramoškienė, attended the service but declined to comment. Sadauskas leaves behind two young children.