Court extends detention of suspect in paramedic’s killing

A court has extended the detention of Vilius Solkanas, a suspect in the killing of paramedic Mantas Sadauskas, for three months, LRT reported.

The Panevėžys Regional Court granted the prosecution’s request on Wednesday, extending Solkanas’s detention until January 21, 2027, court spokeswoman Jolita Gudelienė told the news agency ELTA.

The court has also received a prosecution request to extend the detention of Justina Sadauskienė, another suspect in the case. It was due to consider that request on Wednesday.

Solkanas is suspected of intentional murder, unlawful deprivation of liberty and unlawful possession of psychotropic substances. Sadauskienė, Sadauskas’s former spouse, has been charged with intentional murder and unlawful deprivation of liberty.

Sadauskienė’s father, Biržai medical worker Egidijus Gaigalas, was also detained in the case. He was released on August 6 and given two other preventive measures: a 10,000-euro bail and a written pledge not to leave the country. Gaigalas is suspected of unlawfully possessing firearms, ammunition, explosives or explosive materials, and of unlawful possession of narcotic or psychotropic substances, either with intent to distribute or in a very large quantity.

Sadauskas’s body was found on April 21 on the grounds of a homestead in Panevėžys district. Investigators suspect it had been wrapped in a trampoline and buried there. A weapon was found during an inspection of the scene.

Sadauskas’s father told reporters that his son had said he received an order to deliver a trampoline for a children’s event at a kindergarten. After Sadauskas went missing, the account that had placed the order was found to have been deleted. The local elder told reporters there was no kindergarten in the location named in the order.

Investigators have said the suspected motive may be linked to personal disagreements.