Lithuanian man who fled Wisbech and was found sleeping in a tent after beating long-term girlfriend to death is jailed for at least 17 years

Photo released of Wisbech murder victim Dzilva Butiene (Image: Archant)

Kestutis Bauzys, 46, received the verdict at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday (18) after a three-week trial.

Dzilva Butiene, 48, was staying with boyfriend-of-four-years, Bauzys, in Debnam Court, Orange Grove on April 5 when she was murdered.

The ambulance service raised their concerns with police after discovering Mrs Butiene had died some time before they were called at 8.30pm and had fresh bruises on her lip and others on her face and arms.

Bauzys told paramedics the injuries were caused because the mother-of-two was an alcoholic and had fallen.

Further investigation revealed Bauzys had visited a nearby shop at around 8pm to buy alcohol and when paying mentioned to the shop assistant that his wife was not breathing.

He also spoke to a member of the public and asked her to call an ambulance but the woman didn’t speak English and called her son to help.

A post mortem concluded Mrs Butiene died of a trauma to the abdomen that had caused a laceration to her liver in two places.

Bauzys was arrested after he was found sleeping in a tent in woods on the A47 on April 13.

Detective Inspector Alan Page said: “This was a horrendous case of domestic abuse behind closed doors. Bauzys consistently lied claiming Mrs Butiene had caused her injuries herself from falling over.

“The expert medical evidence stated that these type of injuries would be seen either from a forceful assault, a fall from a first floor building or a high speed road collision where the victim wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

“We established that Mrs Butiene had not left the flat and that Bauzys had been the only person in her company at the time she would have received the fatal injury.

“We would urge anyone who finds themselves in an abusive relationship, please find the courage to tell someone. You don’t have to come direct to police but it’s not acceptable to live with abuse.”

In a statement, Mrs Butiene’s family said: “Dzilva’s death has left utter devastation to all her friends and family here in Lithuania, including her two sons. We have all been affected by her death and remain to take each day at a time.”