Courts / Kerry / Report

Killer who stabbed housemate through the heart is jailed for five years

Summary

In Portarlington, Deivydas Zigelis, a 39‑year‑old Lithuanian, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter of Alexander Karpovs, a 26‑year‑old Latvian, after a drunken dispute over food. Karpovs died on 15 February 2014 from a single stab wound to the heart. Zigelis was sentenced to seven years at the Central Criminal Court, with the final two years suspended, giving an effective custodial term of five years. The judge noted the killing was not premeditated, describing the scene as a "hovel" and Zigelis as a "functioning alcoholic" who has vowed never to drink again and shown genuine remorse. The court heard a victim impact statement from Karpovs' mother in Latvia, who said her son's death had left her "stressed out all the time" and unable to sleep. The case involved a house filled with broken crockery, drink cans and cigarette boxes, and a third man who was also heavily intoxicated.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Killer who stabbed housemate through the heart is jailed for five years. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Acquitted

When:

• February 15, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-11-14 Publication

Why: A friend of the two testified that he went to their house that morning because he couldn't find any cider in his own home. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report