Benjamin Day, 20, has admitted murdering sex worker Maria Saceanu and attempting to dismember her body inside a £30-a-night Airbnb he had converted into a 'kill chamber' inspired by the US television series Dexter. Day reversed his not guilty plea on the second day of his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, following the prosecution's opening of the case and presentation of evidence to the jury.
Murder at Oldbury Airbnb
Day, of Yeadon Close, Redditch, Worcestershire, had pleaded not guilty to murder between December 19 and 22 last year. He changed his plea on Tuesday, October 6. Mr Justice Bryan KC told Day that a pre-sentence report will now be compiled before his sentencing in December.
Prosecutor Rachel Brand KC stated 'there is no dispute from the defence in this case that his fascination with that programme, Dexter, played a part in his actions leading up to the night that Ms Saceanu was killed'. The programme follows character Dexter Morgan, a forensic scientist employed by a police department who is a serial killer and 'knows how to' conceal what he has done.
Preparation and killing
Day had dedicated 'hours preparing' his killing of Ms Saceanu and 'copied things he had seen' in the series, including trying to sever her limbs, laying down plastic sheeting, and preserving a microscopic slide of her blood as a 'trophy'. He even 'changed into his Dexter clothing' - a khaki T-shirt with buttons halfway down - before his victim arrived at the premises in Oldbury.
Officers discovered a disturbing 'shopping list' on his phone, compiled a month before the killing. It included knives, scissors, a mask, an apron, disposable gloves, duct tape, a staple gun, cleaning chemicals, a pipette, duffle bag, latex gloves, number plates and 'Hefty bags' - what 'Americans use to describe heavy duty black bin bags', reports Birmingham Live.
Injury and arrest
Day had 'planned to get away with it' but was exposed when his 'meticulous' scheme 'all went wrong' and he sliced his own hand while trying to 'dismember' Ms Saceanu's body. He then 'quite deliberately' travelled 20 minutes from the location and rang 999 himself while his victim's unclothed body remained on the floor of the kill room, intending to return and 'finish the job' after his 'nasty' injury was treated.
Day was transported to Russells Hall Hospital by paramedics and was placed under arrest there at 3.42am on Saturday, December 21. Ms Saceanu sustained 78 wounds, inflicted by knives, numerous of which are believed to have been caused after her death. It is understood she died 'as a result of wounds to her neck' which damaged her carotid artery or jugular vein.
Ms Brand stated: "However, despite such wounds, she may not have collapsed immediately and it's significant that there were a number of wounds to her hands which were consistent with efforts to protect herself, to defend herself." There were 'attempts to dismember her body', evidenced by injuries including those to her elbow, wrist and knee, the court was told.
Booking and sentencing
Ms Saceanu, who was from Romania, was contacted by Day shortly after 9.30pm on Saturday, December 20 last year. She had registered her details on a site called Vivastreet — a platform used by sex workers to connect with potential clients. The victim was captured on CCTV upon her arrival approximately 50 minutes later in her vehicle, footage the prosecution described as the 'last time she was seen alive'. Day — who was 19 at the time and residing with his parents — had been inside the double-bedded room he had booked from around 5.30pm, 'preparing'.
In a statement presented to the court, the Airbnb property owner explained the accommodation featured three rooms available for hire - two double rooms and a single room. The standard charge was £30 for a single guest and an extra £10 for an additional guest. Via Airbnb, Day reserved for two guests and paid £40 - plus commission and vat, totalling £46.78. Day is due to be sentenced in December.
