Raasepori murder trial: Three men accused of brutal killing

A homicide trial began on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in the Länsi-Uusimaa District Court concerning a death that occurred at a cabin in Raseborg, Finland in February 2025.

Details of the Alleged Crime

Prosecutors allege that three men murdered a Lithuanian man in an especially brutal and cruel manner on February 26, 2025, in Raseborg. The defendants are a 43-year-old Polish man, and two Ukrainian men aged 45 and 47. According to the prosecution, the group traveled from Helsinki to a rented cabin in Raseborg with the approximately 51-year-old Lithuanian man on the day of the alleged murder.

The indictment states that the group consumed alcohol and drugs at the cabin before the Polish and Ukrainian men allegedly began to assault the Lithuanian man. The alleged manner of the killing is described as particularly cruel and egregious, qualifying it as murder. The men are accused of kicking and hitting the victim, strangling him, and striking him in the head with a knife.

The victim ultimately died when the men forcefully bent his head backwards and rotated it sideways, causing a tear in the base of his skull and the upper part of his medulla oblongata. Prosecutors state that at least half an hour of violence preceded the victim’s death. The violence is considered particularly brutal due to the number of perpetrators, the duration of the attack, and its conclusion with what is described as an “execution-style” head twisting.

Conflicting Accounts

The Ukrainian men deny the charges, claiming they did not inflict any violence on the victim. The Polish man denies murder but admits to using violence against the victim, stating he acted alone. He claims he was acting in excessive self-defence and committed manslaughter. He admits to hitting and kicking the victim around the body and striking him with a bladed weapon, but denies bending the victim’s head. The Polish man stated the victim was still alive when he left the scene.

Did You Know? The three accused men fled the country quickly after the incident, and were apprehended in April 2025 with the cooperation of Polish authorities.

The accused were apprehended in April 2025, with assistance from Polish police. The trial is currently underway, and no sentencing date has been announced.

Expert Insight: Cases involving multiple defendants and conflicting accounts often present significant challenges for prosecutors, requiring meticulous evidence presentation and careful consideration of witness credibility. The differing admissions and denials will likely be central to the court’s deliberations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What charges are the men facing?

The 43-year-old Polish man and the 45- and 47-year-old Ukrainian men are charged with murder.

What did the Polish man admit to?

The Polish man admitted to using violence against the victim, claiming he acted in excessive self-defence and committed manslaughter.

What is the current status of the case?

The trial is currently underway, and a sentencing date has not yet been announced.

As the trial unfolds, will the complexities of the differing accounts and the severity of the alleged crime lead to a conviction, and if so, what sentence will be handed down?