Marius Gaizutis sentenced to life for murder of Audrius Butkus

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Marius Gaizutis received a mandatory life sentence at the Central Criminal Court for murdering Audrius Butkus. The proceedings were reported on 20 May 2015.

Gaizutis, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, was charged with murdering Butkus at that address on 9 or 10 September 2013.

He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State did not accept the manslaughter plea, and a jury was sworn in to try him.

The report said his trial commenced on 20 April 2015. A jury found him guilty of murder unanimously on 1 May 2015 after deliberating for two hours and 40 minutes.

Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed the mandatory life sentence, backdated to 2 October 2013, when Gaizutis was taken into custody.

Butkus’s body was found on a Meath beach on 10 September 2013. Detective Sergeant Liam Archibold confirmed that he died from multiple axe blows to the back of his head.

Defence counsel Ciaran O’Loughlin SC said there were no witnesses present at the death. He said Gaizutis had indicated that he was initially attacked with a bottle to the head and that Butkus picked up a knife, although Gaizutis was not struck with it.

The court heard that Gaizutis handed himself up on 29 September 2013 after spending several weeks in Northern Ireland. His counsel said he returned voluntarily and attended Laytown Garda Station by appointment. Counsel also distinguished the circumstances from murder cases involving extensive advance planning.