Police on Friday continued searching nationwide for a man suspected of killing a young woman in an apartment on Krėvės Avenue in Kaunas, a Police Department representative said.
Ramūnas Matonis, the department’s spokesperson, told BNS that extensive police forces from Kaunas County and other regions are involved in the search for 1996-born Benas Mikutavičius, who is suspected of fatally attacking a woman in the apartment.
The body of the victim, a woman born in 2003, was found Thursday afternoon with visible injuries. Kaunas County police have opened a pretrial investigation for homicide.
Authorities warned the public not to attempt to detain the suspect themselves, saying he may be dangerous.
“Witnesses and residents have been interviewed, video footage has been reviewed, and information has been collected,” Matonis said.
He told LRT RADIO that officers searched for the suspect throughout the night, using both overt and covert methods, but have not yet located him. Matonis added that the killing is not currently being linked to another homicide reported in Kaunas, though investigators have not ruled out any possibilities.
According to Matonis, Matkevičius is not known to police and has no prior convictions.
In a separate case in the same Kaunas district, a woman born in 2001 was found dead Thursday evening on Pramonės Avenue with signs of violence. A pretrial investigation for homicide has also been launched in that case.
Odeta Vaitkevičienė, a spokeswoman for Kaunas County police, previously told BNS that the two killings are not believed to be connected, and all investigative leads are being pursued. According to the Police Department, no suspects have been detained in either case.
Authorities: Same suspect may have killed both women in Kaunas
Police on Friday said the same suspect may have been responsible for the killings of two young women found dead in Kaunas a day earlier, revising earlier statements that the cases were not linked.
Rimas Bradūnas, chief prosecutor of the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed that investigators now believe one man is suspected in both homicides. He said the first victim was related to the suspect, while preliminary information suggests the second killing may be connected to a rental arrangement. Investigators believe the suspect may have arranged to view the woman’s apartment before the attack.
Bradūnas told reporters the investigation is focused on “extremely brutal” killings. He said authorities have no information at this time suggesting additional victims, despite public reports from at least one woman who said she had arranged a viewing with the suspect.
Mindaugas Akelaitis, head of the Kaunas County Police Headquarters, said the suspect is “quite withdrawn” and has low income, which may limit his movements to traveling on foot or by public transportation. He urged the public to remain alert in such areas and report anything suspicious.
Neither the suspect – identified earlier as Benas Matkevičius – nor the two victims had prior contact with law enforcement, officials said.
“At this moment, we cannot identify a motive,” Akelaitis said.
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