Man convicted of murdering nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte in Lincolnshire
Deividas Skebas, a 26-year-old Lithuanian national, has been found guilty of murdering nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte in a shocking attack that occurred in Boston, Lincolnshire. The verdict was delivered at Lincoln Crown Court after jurors deliberated for over seven hours, reaching an 11-1 majority decision.
Fatal attack captured on CCTV
The court heard compelling evidence that Skebas had meticulously planned the killing. CCTV footage presented during the trial showed him purchasing the murder weapon two days before the attack and subsequently circling the area where Lilia was playing. The video evidence proved crucial in demonstrating that Skebas's judgement was not impaired at the time of the offence.
On 28 July 2022, Lilia was playing with a hula hoop outside her mother's embroidery shop when Skebas approached and stabbed her in the heart. Her mother, Lina Savickiene, discovered her daughter "covered in blood and with the hoop around her", initially believing there had been an accident with the toy. Despite immediate attempts by an off-duty police officer to save her, Lilia could not be revived.
Complex legal proceedings and mental health considerations
The legal journey to this conviction has been complex. Skebas was initially deemed mentally unfit to stand trial in 2023, but this assessment changed in spring 2025, allowing the criminal proceedings to commence. Although he admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility, he had denied the murder charge.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Skebas knew exactly what he was doing when he killed Lilia, who would have celebrated her thirteenth birthday this week. Christopher Donnellan KC, opening the case, described the act as "a wicked act" and emphasised that Skebas "knew he was killing a child".
Attempts to evade justice
Evidence presented in court revealed that Skebas took deliberate steps to avoid capture following the murder. He shaved off his beard to alter his appearance and used his phone to make arrangements to flee the United Kingdom, including requesting financial assistance from family members to fund his travel.
During the trial, defence barrister Andrew Campbell-Tiech KC described Skebas as "quite obviously deluded", noting that the defendant had told police he possessed "the power to resurrect" Lilia if authorities contacted "his controller in Nasa". Skebas, who has schizophrenia, appeared via videolink from the high-security Rampton Hospital throughout the proceedings.
Family's heartbreaking statements
In a moving statement, Lilia's mother reflected on their nine years together, saying "we lived life fully, we visited many places, we didn't stand still". She added that "this is not something you recover from" and described how "terrifying thoughts overwhelm the mind" during the trial.
Lilia's stepfather, Aurelijus Savickas, paid tribute to the young girl, calling her a "beautiful soul" with a "strong character". He expressed the family's enduring grief, stating "Lilia, you will always live in our hearts, you are forever loved, forever missed".
Deividas Skebas is scheduled to be sentenced on 25 February 2026, bringing some measure of closure to a case that has horrified the Lincolnshire community and drawn national attention to this tragic loss of a young life.
