Police have revealed they found murderer Vitalijus Koreiva asleep in the same flat as his victim when they went to investigate.
Gracijus Balciauskas, 41, was killed on Mayfield Grove on December 20, 2021.
Vitalijus Koreiva, 37, and Jaroslaw Rutowicz, 39, were jailed for murder and manslaughter respectively at Leeds Crown Court this morning.
After the sentencing, North Yorkshire Police described how the shocking incident unfolded.
Supermarket staff dialled 999 after being approached by a man who told them “someone is dead”.
Rutowicz took officers to the flat on Mayfield Grove where they found the body of a man wrapped in a large rug in a bedroom. A post mortem later showed he had suffered severe injuries to his head and torso.
Koreiva, who was asleep on the sofa, was arrested along with Rutowicz.
The crime scene at the flat on Mayfield Grove in December 2021.
Police analysed Rutowicz’s phone and found “disturbing and graphic videos” showing assaults on the victim on the day of his death.
In one clip, filmed at 5.52am, the victim was kicked in the head and in the ribs, and cried out in pain.
In another clip, filmed at 7.02am, Rutowicz, who was holding the phone, tried to roll the victim over and give him a cigarette. A clip filmed at 7.21am showed the victim lying on the floor with his eyes closed.
In interview, Koreiva told police he had gone to sleep and when he woke up he found Mr Balciauskas dead on the floor, and got a rug to put over him.
Separately, Rutowicz told officers that Koreiva had assaulted him before attacking the victim. But both Koreiva and Rutowicz were charged in connection with his death.
North Yorkshire Police today released CCTV showing Koreiva and Rutowicz buying alcohol hours before the attack happened.
Read more on the case:
- Harrogate murder trial hears that body was found in a rug
- Harrogate murder suspect claims he feared for his own life after ‘brutal’ assault
- Man sentenced to life in prison for Harrogate Mayfield Grove murder
Jailing Koreiva for life this morning, Judge Rodney Jameson KC told him the attack need not have been fatal “had you not tried to drunkenly cover up what you had done”.
Rutowicz was jailed for 12 years for the manslaughter of Mr Balciauskas.
Guilty: Jaroslaw Rutowicz (left) and Vitalijus Koreiva.
DCI Jonathan Sygrove, from North Yorkshire Police’s major investigation team, said:
“The level of violence used against Gracijus Balciauskas was nothing short of brutal. The victim was subjected to a horrific assault, which led to his death. And shockingly, Mr Balciauskas was filmed with a mobile phone while he lay dying.
“When they were interviewed, Koreiva and Rutowicz blamed each other, but ultimately the evidence showed their involvement. It is right that they have now been brought to justice, and must face the consequences of their actions.”
‘A friendly and jovial person’
In a statement issued following today’s sentencing, Mr Balciauskas’ family said:
Man sentenced to life in prison for Harrogate Mayfield Grove murder“As a family we have been deeply affected by Gracijus’ death. We will always remember him as a friendly and jovial person. Even as the months pass, the pain of his loss still remains.
“We want to deeply thank the officers and investigators at North Yorkshire Police with the investigation and doing everything they could to bring justice for him and for all of us too. We also give thanks to Victim Support for supporting us through something that no family should ever go through.
“We also thank everyone at the Harrogate Homeless Unit for supporting Gracijus any way they could when he was still alive.”
A man has been sentenced to life in prison after brutally murdering Gracijus Balciauskas at a flat on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate last year.
Vitalijus Koreiva, 37, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this morning after being found guilty of murder by a jury in July.
Polish national Jaroslaw Rutowicz, 39, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for manslaughter for his part in the crime.
Mr Balciauskas, from Lithuania, was just 41 years old when he was killed.
Wrapped in a rug
The sentencing comes as a trial in July heard that Mr Balciauskas’s body was found wrapped in a rug after a lengthy drinking binge involving the three friends turned violent on December 20, 2021.
CCTV footage was shown of the men leaving the flat to buy more alcohol on several occasions in the hours leading to the murder.
Rutowicz told the court how Koreiva, who is Lithuanian, erupted during a drunken game of chess with Mr Balciauskas at 5am, which led to Koreiva punching and then kicking him.
Read more on the trial:
- Harrogate murder trial hears that body was found in a rug
- Harrogate murder suspect claims he feared for his own life after ‘brutal’ assault
- Doubt cast on Harrogate murder suspect’s claim
- Harrogate man ‘out of his mind’ on alcohol admits attacking friend
Harrowing video footage taken on Rutowicz’s phone of a bloodied and bruised Mr Balciauskas was shown in court. The clips showed him being kicked by Koreiva whilst he was laying defenceless on the floor pleading for help.
In one of the videos, Rutowicz was heard shouting at Mr Balciauskas in Polish:
“Why the f*** did you send us there? Now you look like this.”
During the trial, Rutowicz said he had been threatened by Koreiva with his life if he called 999 after Mr Balciauskas died. He said Koreiva’s nickname in Harrogate was the “crazy Russian” and he had an unpredictable character.
Murder victim Gracijus Balciauskas pictured in Knaresborough.
However, prosecuting barrister Peter Moulson QC poured scorn on his claim and accused Rutowicz of lying.
Mr Balciauskas died of internal bleeding after being kicked in the spleen and suffering multiple injuries to the torso.
‘Drunken cover up’
Judge Rodney Jameson KC told Koreiva this morning that Mr Balciauskas’ injuries would not have been fatal “had you not tried to drunkly cover up what you had done”.
Addressing Rutowicz, Judge Jameson described his actions as “calculating” and that he wanted to “avoid responsibility”.
He said:
“You could have prevented this from happening, but instead you chose to encourage it.
“You spent many hours considering how to avoid responsibility.”
Koreiva will serve a minimum of 13 years in prison before he is considered for parole. Should he be released, he will spend the rest of his life on licence.