Kaunas murder defendant says he planned to kill six people

A man on trial for the murders of two women in Kaunas told the Kaunas Regional Court on Friday that he had planned to kill six people. LRT reported that Benas Mikutavičius admitted guilt and said he had developed a detailed plan for the killings.

Asked whether he regretted what he had done, Mikutavičius smiled and replied, “On the contrary.” He said he had planned both murders in advance.

Mikutavičius said a dispute over rent led to a conflict with his cousin. They had lived together for a time, but she asked him to move out in 2024. He said he began thinking soon after leaving that he would return to her apartment. He visited her last September, ostensibly to collect some belongings, but told the court he was trying to gain her trust before killing her.

He said he had planned to kill more people he knew. A prosecutor said five people were targeted, and Mikutavičius corrected him: “Six.” He later said only one of the people he had planned to kill was an acquaintance; he did not know the others.

One planned target was a man from whom he had borrowed money and with whom he had previously worked. Mikutavičius said he borrowed the money deliberately to arrange a meeting, which he planned to use to kill the man at a pizzeria at about 2 p.m.

He also told the court he had searched for people renting out homes and selected addresses based on how quickly he could get between them. He said he planned to carry spare clothes and several phones, and had bought a large, heavy knife for the purpose.