Panevėžys court upholds detention of paramedic murder suspect Gaigalaitė

Panevėžys Regional Court has rejected an appeal against the extended detention of Justina Gaigalaitė, suspected of murdering a paramedic, LRT reports.

A three-judge panel upheld a lower court’s decision on Thursday to extend Gaigalaitė’s pre-trial detention by three months, until 21 September. The court ruled that the investigative material provides sufficient grounds to keep her in custody.

The judges stated that less severe measures would not ensure her participation in criminal proceedings or other procedural objectives. They also noted that the reasons for her initial detention and its extension remain valid, as she could obstruct the investigation, flee, evade justice, or commit further crimes.

The decision is final and not subject to further appeal.

According to earlier reports by BNS, emergency medical worker Mantas Sadauskas disappeared on the morning of 20 April after travelling to Paliukai village in Panevėžys district to install a ordered bathtub. His body was found buried the next day on a farmstead in the same village, along with a firearm. Authorities have not confirmed whether the weapon was used in the killing.

Prosecutors believe the crime may have been motivated by personal conflicts. Gaigalaitė, the suspect, was in the process of divorcing Sadauskas at the time of his death. Another suspect in the murder and unlawful deprivation of liberty, Vilius Solkanas, is also in custody.