A man who repeatedly punched his friend in the face during a sustained attack at a home in Ipswich has been jailed for life for his murder. Lithuanian national Arvydas Maliusis, 38, was convicted of murdering 39-year-old Ilja Akatjevas following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court. Maliusis, of Recorder Road, Norwich, returned to court on Thursday, August 6, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years. Police were called at 11.37am on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, after Ilja was found dead inside a property in College Street, Ipswich. Ambulance crews attended, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A Home Office post-mortem examination subsequently found that Ilja died as a result of injuries to his head.
Killer called police after returning to property
Maliusis and a woman were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning. Maliusis was subsequently charged with murder. The woman, now aged 42, was informed in February that she would face no further police action. During Maliusis’s trial, Ipswich Crown Court heard that it was the killer himself who called police on December 23 to report that his friend was dead inside the property. He told officers that Ilja had attacked him the previous day and that he had struck him back twice. Maliusis told attending officers: “There was no way my punches could have killed him.” However, a witness who was inside the property gave a very different account of what happened.
Victim punched repeatedly for around five minutes
The court heard that the group had been drinking vodka when Ilja began acting erratically and told the others that he wanted them to leave. The witness described how Maliusis and Ilja had initially been play-fighting earlier in the evening before the situation became increasingly aggressive. She told the court that she was pushed over by Ilja during the disturbance. Following this, Maliusis became enraged and attacked his friend. The court heard Maliusis punched Ilja to the ground before repeatedly punching him in the face for around five minutes. Maliusis and the woman then left the property. They returned the following morning because Maliusis wanted to retrieve a mobile phone he had left behind. When they entered the property, Ilja was found unresponsive on the floor in the same position in which Maliusis had left him. Maliusis then called the emergency services.
Murder conviction at Ipswich Crown Court
Following a trial, Maliusis was found guilty of murder at Ipswich Crown Court on July 21. He returned to the same court on Thursday, August 6, to be sentenced. The judge imposed a life sentence and ordered Maliusis to serve a minimum of 18 years in prison before he can be considered for release on licence.
