Man jailed for life for murdering friend at his Ipswich home
Arvydas Maliusis repeatedly punched his victim in the face for around five minutes
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years after murdering a man in Ipswich.
The attack happened on 23rd December when police were called to a property on College Street, Ipswich, where 39-year-old Ilja Akatjevas was found dead.
A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as head injuries.
Arvydas Maliusis, a 38-year-old Lithuanian national from Norwich, was arrested alongside a 41-year-old woman.
However, the woman, now 42, faced no further legal action.
Maliusis, 38, of Recorder Road, Norwich, was subsequently charged with murder.
During the trial at Ipswich Crown Court, the court was told how Maliusis had called the police on 23 December to report his friend was dead inside his property.
He had told attending officers that he had been attacked by Ilja the previous day and that he had hit him back twice but stated to officers that ‘there was no way my punches could have killed him’.
A witness, who was inside the property when an altercation between the two men occurred, told the court that after consuming vodka as a group, Ilja started to act erratically and wanted them to leave.
She described how the two men had been play-fighting earlier in the evening, but things had turned more aggressive, during which she herself was pushed over by Ilja.
Following this, Maliusis became enraged and attacked Ilja, punching him to the ground and then repeatedly punching him in the face for around five minutes.
The pair left the scene before returning the next morning so that Maliusis could look for a mobile phone which he had left behind.
After finding Ilja unresponsive on the floor in the same position he had left him in, Maliusis called the emergency services.
Paramedics attended the scene, but Akatjevas was pronounced dead.
On 21st July, Maliusis was found guilty, and he was sentenced today, 6th August.
Detective Superintendent Matt Adams spoke following the trial.
“Today our thoughts are with the family and friends of Ilja Akatjevas. They have suffered the devastating loss of a loved one in the most tragic of circumstances, and we recognise the profound impact his death has had on all those who knew and loved him.
Ilja lost his life as the result of an exceptionally violent and sustained attack. The ferocity of that assault was shocking and ultimately proved fatal.
Following the murder, Maliusis attempted to distance himself from what had happened and provided a misleading account to our investigators. However, the determination of the investigation team, together with witness evidence, CCTV footage and forensic findings, enabled us to establish what occurred. This ensured the truth was placed before the court.
While no conviction or sentence can bring Ilja back, we welcome today's sentence and the fact that the person responsible for taking his life has been held accountable for his actions.
Finally, I would like to thank the members of the public who came forward to assist the investigation, together with the officers and staff whose professionalism and dedication have helped secure justice for Ilja and his family.”