News

The Panevėžys Regional Court has delivered its verdict in a criminal case regarding an intentional murder in Zarasai. Judge Valdas Ciesiūnas found 60-year-old Gintautas Slavinskas guilty of the death of his acquaintance, O. N., and sentenced him to 9 years and 6 months in prison. The court designated the man as a recidivist.

According to the case files, on May 23, 2025, a drinking session took place at a residential house on Šiaulių Street in Zarasai. G. Slavinskas, who was drinking with the homeowner, became enraged with another guest, O. N. The cause of the conflict was domestic – the accused claimed he saw O. N. stuffing food items from the host's refrigerator into his pockets. In a fit of rage, G. Slavinskas turned violent, striking the victim at least 12 times with his hands and feet to various parts of the body, including at least 4 blows directly to the head.

Although G. Slavinskas attempted to argue in court that his strikes were not forceful, forensic experts provided contrary findings. The man died from severe head trauma, which caused brain compression and acute respiratory and cardiac failure. Experts emphasized that after such injuries, the victim could have survived for only a dozen or so minutes.

The court established that G. Slavinskas acted with indirect intent. While there is no direct evidence that he purposefully aimed to kill, the manner and intensity of the violence demonstrate a total indifference to human life.

In delivering the verdict, Judge Valdas Ciesiūnas noted that "the accused, by striking the victim in the head – a vital part of the body – could not have failed to understand the danger of his actions and that O. N. might die as a result; he consciously allowed such consequences to occur."

The defendant's version that the victim might have been beaten earlier – was debunked by video recordings and witness testimony showing that the day before the incident, O. N., despite having some old bruises, felt well and was moving independently. The court recognized that G. Slavinskas’ intentional actions were the fundamental cause of death.

In determining the sentence, the court took into account that G. Slavinskas is a highly dangerous individual. The man has 9 prior convictions, mostly for robbery and theft, and committed this crime just one year after being released from prison. While his confession and remorse are mitigating factors, his responsibility is aggravated by the fact that the crime was committed while intoxicated and under the status of a recidivist.

By court order, the convict will remain in custody until the sentence takes legal effect. The verdict may be appealed to the Lithuanian Court of Appeal within 20 days.

When citing or otherwise distributing this information, please indicate the source of the information.

Contact for the media: