A forensics student has pleaded guilty to stabbing a woman to death in a 'kill room' inspired by US TV drama Dexter.
asserted
student → plead → Dexter
Benjamin Day, 20, changed his plea part way through his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court and admitted murdering Maria Saceanu.
Day had been expected to claim self-defence, asserting that he set up the room to film a 'tribute' to Dexter which he could post on TikTok.
But after an hour-long delay to proceedings on Tuesday, Day returned from the cells to the dock and appeared to smirk as he nodded towards the court clerk and entered a guilty plea.
Day, wearing a dark suit and a maroon patterned tie, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 4.
Day was arrested in a Dexter-style khaki top after stabbing Ms Saceanu 78 times and beginning to dismember her body.
The court heard the University of Worcester undergraduate prepared the room in Tividale, West Midlands, as a 'tribute' to the US drama.
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undergraduate → change → drama
The show, which ran from 2006 until 2013, followed Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall) a forensic technician who leads a secret double life as a vigilante serial killer.
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who → run → killer
Opening the case at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, prosecutor Rachel Brand KC said Day lured Ms Saceanu to the Airbnb and planned to dispose of her body after killing her.
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Day → open → her
Day, who denies murder, was arrested in December last year after injuring his hand and calling 999 for help.
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who → deny → help
It was alleged he cut his hand as he began the 'gruesome task' of dismembering Ms Saceanu's body.
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he → allege → body
The prosecution alleged Day had 'planned this murder in some detail' and 'planned to dispose of her body without leaving signs of what had happened'.
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what → allege → signs
But Ms Brand told the court: 'It all went wrong and he was caught.'
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he → tell → court
She said Day had become 'fascinated' with Dexter and his actions 'were those of a copycat, imitating the things he had seen in that programme'.
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he → say → programme
Listing what she said were 'similarities' between the death and the TV series, Ms Brand told jurors: 'Dexter Morgan works as a forensic scientist in a police department - and the broad premise of the programme is that he is a serial killer who knows how to cover his tracks.
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who → list → tracks
The defendant changed his university course [from journalism] to study applied biology and forensics.
'
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defendant → change → biology
Dexter wears a khaki T-shirt.
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Dexter → wear → shirt
The defendant had purchased just such a T-shirt and was wearing it when he was arrested - as you will see.
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you → purchase → it
He had changed into Dexter clothing before Maria Saceanu arrived at the house.
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Saceanu → change → house
In the TV series, Dexter prepares a "kill room" when carrying out his attacks, lined with plastic sheeting which he fixes using a staple gun or duct/gaffer tape.'
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he → prepare → gun
Ms Brand suggested that Day had been planning the killing since November 18 last year when he made a 'shopping list' on his phone of items required.
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he → suggest → items
These included knives, scissors, a mask, an apron, disposable gloves, plastic sheeting, duct tape, a staple gun, a T-shirt, trousers, cleaning chemicals, a pipette, microscope slides (which the court heard were a 'trophy' from the killing) and 'hefties' - an American word for heavy duty black bin bags.
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court → include → bags
All the items on the list were found at the scene more than a month later, the court heard.
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court → find → scene
There was no evidence of sexual contact between Day and Ms Saceanu but she answered a text message from him shortly after 9.30pm on December 20 last year.
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she → be → December
She drove to the Airbnb where Day had been 'preparing' since 5.30pm, arriving around 10.20pm.
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Day → drive → 5.30pm
The prosecution argued jurors would likely conclude that Day killed Ms Saceanu within a short time of her arrival, before trying to dismember the body and injuring himself.
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Day → argue → himself
He is said to have walked some distance away and ditched a 'burner' phone before calling 999 at 12.50am.
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He → say → 12.50am
He told police his hand had been cut by a fox or dog and was taken to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.
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hand → tell → Dudley
At 1.05am, Day messaged the Airbnb landlord to ask if he could extend his stay there to a week.
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he → message → week
However, a guest staying in another room at the Airbnb noticed a trail of blood and told the landlord, who called police.
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who → stay → police
Officers found Ms Saceanu inside and Day was arrested at 3.42am in hospital
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Day → find → hospital
A Home Office pathologist said Ms Saceanu probably died as a result of wounds to her neck.
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Saceanu → say → neck
They added that 'a number of wounds to her hands [were] consistent with efforts to protect herself'.
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number → add → herself
The trial continues.
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trial → continue → ?
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
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This → break → ?
The Aporia
