Benjamin Day, 20, has admitted murdering sex worker Maria Saceanu in a room he turned into a 'kill chamber' at an Airbnb, inspired by the TV series Dexter. He changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday, October 6.
Day, of Yeadon Close, Redditch, Worcestershire, had initially pleaded not guilty to murder between December 19 and 22 last year. His admission followed the prosecution's opening of the case and presentation of evidence to the jury. Mr Justice Bryan KC said a pre-sentence report will be compiled before sentencing in December.
Meticulous planning and a 'shopping list'
The University of Worcester student kitted out the £30 per night room to replicate crimes depicted in Dexter. He dedicated 'hours preparing' his killing of Ms Saceanu, copying things he had seen in the series, including attempting to sever her limbs, laying plastic sheeting, and preserving a microscopic slide of her blood as a 'trophy'.
Day 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 'shopping list' on his phone, compiled a month beforehand, containing knives, scissors, a mask, an apron, disposable gloves, duct tape, a staple gun, cleaning chemicals, a pipette, a duffle bag, latex gloves, number plates and 'Hefty bags'.
The killing and the aftermath
Ms Saceanu, from Romania, was contacted by Day shortly after 9.30pm on Saturday, December 20 last year. She had registered her details on Vivastreet, a platform used by sex workers to connect with potential clients. Prosecutor Rachel Brand KC told the jury: "We don't suggest that this case is about sex. There is no evidence, actually, that any sexual contact took place between Day and Ms Saceanu on the night that she was killed."
The victim arrived approximately 50 minutes later, captured on CCTV in what the prosecution described as the 'last time she was seen alive'. Day had been inside the room from around 5.30pm, 'preparing'. He killed her 'within a very short time of her arrival', then cut away her clothing with scissors and stripped her of her jewellery, disposing of them in a bin bag.
Day sustained injuries while attempting to dismember her body and 'bound up his own hand with gaffer tape'. He left the Airbnb at 12.30am on Sunday, December 21, walking 'some distance' before calling emergency services about 20 minutes later. At 1.05am, he messaged the landlord requesting an extension to his booking of one week, or at least two or three days, before officers arrived about five minutes later.
Court details and injuries
Ms Brand told the jury: "He said that the injury to his hand had been caused when he had been bitten by a fox or a wild dog. The police found that explanation to be curious and it was also curious that he had bound up his own hand with gaffer tape." Day was taken to Russells Hall Hospital by paramedics and arrested there at 3.42am.
Ms Saceanu sustained 78 wounds inflicted by knives, many believed to have been caused after her death. 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 to her elbow, wrist and knee.
The Airbnb property owner stated the accommodation featured three rooms - two double rooms and a single room. The standard charge was £30 for a single guest and an extra £10 for an additional guest. Day reserved for two guests and paid £40, plus commission and VAT, totalling £46.78. Day will be sentenced in December.
