“Brutal and callous” murderer jailed for 18 years

A murderer who was caught on audio threatening to bury a grandfather alive after brutally stabbing him in the back was jailed for a minimum of 18 years.

Rolandas Karbauskas, 48, stabbed neighbour Saulius Badgziunas, 58, at his home in the Lincolnshire hamlet of Broadholme.

He then dragged his body behind a garage before it was found by a family friend on March 14, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Karbauskas, who listened to his case through a Lithuanian interpreter, was found guilty of murder after a two week trial.

Saulius Badgziunas was found fatally injured. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A jury was played an audio recording captured by cameras installed near the property in which Karbauskas could be heard saying “bleed to death” and “I told you I would bury you alive”.

The victim, from Lithuania, was heard to moan and say “pull it out, Ruli”, a nickname used for Karbauskas.

Passing a life sentence on Karbauskas, Judge Simon Hirst said Mr Badgziunas had been looking after his two-year-old grandson on the day of the murder.

“Mr Badgziunas was plainly stabbed in the back,” Judge Hirst said.

“For reasons which remain unknown, but may have been due to a drunken argument, you picked up a knife used to slaughter pigs.”

Judge Hirst told Karbauskas that in the recording which came to light after the stabbing his victim asked him to remove the knife.

“You with a degree of callousness,” Judge Hirst told Karbauskas, said ‘I told you I would bury you alive.’ ”

The weapon used to kill Saulius Badgziunas. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

Judge Hirst said there was evidence of some effort to cover his tracks with nearby ground being turned over with a spade.

Karbauskas was told he will have to serve a minimum of 18 years before he is eligible for parole.

The jury heard how a family friend found Mr Badgziunas lying on his back behind the garage and initially believed he had fallen ill.

Paramedics who responded to a 999 call were unable to save the father-of-one, who was found to have suffered a 20cm stab wound to the back which was only halted after striking his breast bone.

John Lloyd-Jones KC, prosecuting, said Mr Badgziunas was a quiet, harmless man who was at the time of the killing was looking after his two-year-old grandchild.

Mr Lloyd-Jones argued the force of the stab wound indicated Karbauskas intended to kill his defenceless victim.

In a victim impact statement, the daughter of Mr Badgziunas described how her world fell a part when she learnt of her father’s death.

His killer, who lived in a caravan at the rear of the secluded house that Mr Badgziunas shared with his daughter and two grandchildren, was at the property when the body was found.

Gordon Aspden KC, defending Karbauskas, said he was a hardworking man with no previous convictions in either the UK or Europe.

Mr Aspden added it was a single blow with no evidence of any premeditation.

Police described Mr Badgziunas as a “devoted” father and grandfather who would often let Karbauskas, a Lithuanian national, eat meals with his family and come into their house for a beer.

Forensic investigators also found a double-edged 35.5cm knife in Karbauskas’s caravan with his DNA on the handle and Mr Badgziunas’ blood on the blade.

Following a two-week trial, a jury convicted of him of murder after 10 hours of deliberations. Karbauskas showed no emotion as the verdict was returned.

Det Insp Adrian Czajkowski, of Lincolnshire Police, said Mr Badgziunas had been “mercilessly stabbed” in a “brutal and callous” murder.