‘Senseless’ killing followed a night of drinking and drugs
A30-YEAR-OLD man was stabbed to death by his friend in a “senseless” killing after a night of drinking.
Kristaps Muzikants suffered catastrophic internal bleeding after suffering a single 23cm knife wound which penetrated his liver and sliced through a major vein.
His killer, Janis Mikitovs, lied to police that he found his friend lying in the street and later changed his story but denied having any knowledge of how Mr Muzikants suffered the fatal injury.
Lancashire Police was called to Acregate, Skelmersdale at 4.40am on March 28 after an ambulance crew arrived to find Mr Muzikants fatally injured. He was rushed to Aintree Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Mikitovs had invited Mr Mizukants to his house to celebrate his 36th birthday and the pair enjoyed a night of drink and drugs before the brutal killing.
Muzikants claimed he could not remember killing his friend but was found guilty after a week long trial at Preston Crown Court.
Student Daniels Eglits, who also lived at Mikitovs’s house, said the two friends were laughing and joking around when he went to bed at 3.30am.
“There was no hostility,” he said.
The court heard Daniels, Mikitovs and Kristaps were drinking beer and playing PlayStation, into the early hours of March 28, as
Mikitovs’s wife and children slept upstairs.
“Things were good... happy”, Daniels said.
At 2.30am, Mikitovs and Kristaps went into the kitchen, where Daniels thought they took cocaine.
When they returned to the lounge, Mikitovs was behaving “not usual but not over the top… giggling, laughing and tickling Kristaps,” Daniels told the court.
“It was just a playful game. They were friends, and I didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
Daniels and Mikitovs went to get some cannabis from a neighbour and the three men smoked a joint together before Daniels went to bed.
But an hour later, the student was woken by Mikitovs banging on his bedroom door, shouting “call an ambulance, call an ambulance”.
Downstairs, Mr Muzikants lay on the sofa, with a 23cm deep knife wound to his abdomen.
As Daniels relayed information from the 999 operator, Mikitovs applied pressure with a towel.
Daniels said: “I remember hearing someone saying ‘wash the knife’, or something about washing the knife, but I specifically don’t remember who said it, or what was the context of it.’
When police arrived, Mikitovs claimed he could not understand English, telling officers he found Kristaps injured in the street.
He then said he and his friend had gone to the shop, but could not say when or how Kristaps was injured.
Two police officers went to the shops to look for blood, or signs of an attack, but found nothing.
Mikitovs was arrested and taken to Preston Police Station, where he answered questions in clear and concise English.
The 36-year-old had denied murder but was convicted in September and was handed a life sentence. He must serve at least 16-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.
Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Willis, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “What happened in the early hours of March 28 was an absolute tragedy and my thoughts remain with Mr Muzikants’s loved ones.
“I would like to thank the family for the dignity they have shown throughout these proceedings and I hope that today’s verdict will give them some chance of moving on with their lives.
“While Janis Mikitovs has never given an explanation for his actions in that house, the evidence clearly showed that he and he alone was responsible for the senseless killing of his friend and I am grateful to the jury for considering the facts so carefully in reaching their unanimous guilty verdict.
“This case sadly once again shows all too clearly the devastating consequences that can result from violence involving the use of a knife.”
In a tribute Mr Muzikants’s family said: “Kristaps was a really nice person, he was always happy.
“When we found out about Kristaps’ death our family was devastated. What has happened to Kristaps is unbelievable and is still very hard to accept.
“Our family is longing to see his face, his smile and hear his voice.
“My sister and myself both have children and they are missing their uncle and they say that he is an ‘angel who now lives in heaven’.
“We all miss him so much.”