Minimum 30 years prison

Birmingham Crown Court in the UK has convicted Lukas Domeradzki, 35, of murder and has sentenced him to a minimum of 30 years prison for killing a man with a paving stone before taking his money to go on a gambling spree.

Domeradzki stole ￡2,000 ($2,440) of the victims’ money

Domeradzki’s sentencing on Thursday came after he murdered his friend Sebastian Zygmunt, 26, in Solihull on June 8, 2021. The West Midlands Police took to Twitter to share news that Domeradzki was behind bars:

According to the UK police force, after killing Zygmunt, Domeradzki stole ￡2,000 ($2,440) of the victims’ money, which he spent on betting shops, clothes, and beer. The suspect also duped the victim’s girlfriend into believing Zygmunt was still alive.

Domeradzki messaged Zygmunt’s girlfriend from the deceased’s mobile phone, reports ITV.com. He also contacted her directly, claiming a friend had told him Zygmunt was asleep. 

IT and forensics foil killer

According to ITV.com, West Midlands Police officers used tracked mobile phone movements, CCTV, and forensics to prove Domeradzki murdered Zygmunt and then “tried to carry on as if nothing had happened.”

history of amphetamine abuse

Domeradzki, who has a history of amphetamine abuse, admitted in a police interview to having been under the influence on the day they found the victim. CCTV footage showed Domeradzki going into Zygmunt’s back garden, where it is believed he picked up the paving stone before killing him.

Police then discovered the suspect, fresh after the murder, headed into a betting shop in suburban Olton. Here he bought beer and boarded a train into Birmingham city centre where he purchased clothes and visited another betting shop.

CCTV footage later revealed the suspect leaving the victim’s property wearing Zygmunt’s t-shirt and sneakers and carrying his sports bag, which contained Zygmunt’s mobile phone. Forensics came into it when police discovered Domeradzki’s DNA on the blood-stained paving stone.

The victim had been saving up the money Domeradzki stole to go on holiday.

Tragic death

The Detective Inspector of West Midlands Police homicide unit, Jim Mahon, said: “This is the tragic death of a young man who had his life ahead of him.”

Mahon, who headed up the investigation, said the allegedly alcohol and drug-influenced suspect saw the victim and his money as easy prey. “He took the opportunity to kill him, steal his property and money, and then go on a gambling spree.”

The DI added that his police force hoped that the fact that Domeradzki was heading to prison for a long stretch would “be of some comfort to [Zygmunt’s] loved ones.”