Kaunas was shaken by two murders of girls – the victims are only 22 and 24 years old. The suspect is 29-year-old Benas Mikutaivicius. He has not yet been apprehended and may pose a danger to others.
Associate Professor of the Faculty of Law at Vilnius University, criminologist Gintautas Sakalauskas, noted on LRT Radio that although the number of murders in Lithuania has significantly decreased in recent years, the double murder of girls in Kaunas, in which 29-year-old Mikutaivicius is suspected, is an exceptional case.
"We currently have about 6–7 times fewer murders than we did 20 years ago, but for two such brutal murders to occur back-to-back is certainly not typical even for already atypical crimes," he said.
Gintautas Sakalauskas reassures the public – the likelihood of encountering a murder suspect in their yard or on the street is extremely low.
"People hear and see this news, and they feel that the killer is somewhere nearby, standing at their door or in their yard. First of all, it is important to understand: emotions should not escalate even further. The probability that someone among the listeners or viewers will encounter him is very low. The chance of falling victim to phone scammers is much higher," Sakalauskas said.
After information emerged that the first victim had a familial relationship with the suspect, and that he may have tried to rent accommodation from the second, the criminologist emphasizes: people renting out apartments are likely not facing a real threat.
"Of course, one should be cautious, but it should be understood: there are tens of thousands of people renting or planning to rent out housing. It is obvious that he is unlikely to knock on their door," he noted.
The motives, according to the expert, are still completely unclear – much depends on the person's "neurobiological makeup": there could have been a conflict, an emotional outburst, or long-standing traumas.
