Student allegedly mimicked Dexter TV show by setting up 'kill room' for murder in West Midlands
Benjamin Day claims self-defence in trial after sex worker killed in rented property
A forensic student who claims to have been inspired by the US TV drama Dexter has gone on trial accused of murdering a sex worker in a rented property in Tividale, West Midlands.
Benjamin William Day, a 20-year-old undergraduate from Redditch, Worcestershire, allegedly set up a copycat "kill room" at an Airbnb to murder Maria Saceanu. Prosecutors at Wolverhampton Crown Court claim Day inflicted 78 knife wounds on Ms Saceanu and attempted to dismember her body before injuring his hand and calling 999 for help last December.
Rachel Brand KC, prosecuting, alleged that Day meticulously planned the murder, saying, "We say that the evidence shows he planned this murder in some detail." Ms Brand told the court Day claimed he was filming a "tribute" to Dexter to post on TikTok and acted in self-defence when attacked by Ms Saceanu with a knife. Despite this claim, Ms Brand asserted that there was "plenty of evidence" to support the conclusion of murder.
Day's fascination with the Dexter series, where the main character is a forensic scientist and serial killer, allegedly influenced the planning of the crime, including the preparation of a meticulously staged "kill room" and the use of Dexter's attire. This includes the khaki top Day was wearing at the time of his arrest.
A Home Office pathologist reported that the victim most likely died from wounds to her neck. Items found at the scene, identified from a shopping list saved on Day's phone, were said to include knives, cleaning chemicals, plastic sheeting, duct tape, and other materials used in the crime.
The trial continues as jurors deliberate on the presented evidence, including the defendant’s claims of self-defence.