Man Stabs Victim to Death in Her Sleep
Ernestas Juska launched a savage attack on a woman sleeping in her bed, using a large kitchen knife to inflict catastrophic injuries. The 21-year-old, high on drink and cocaine, targeted the 39-year-old victim in a horrific early morning assault.
Confession Leads Police to Crime Scene
On the morning of August 17, 2024, Juska approached a stranger on Wordsworth Way and shockingly admitted, “I have killed someone,” urging them to call the police. Officers detained him at a nearby bus stop before he led them to his home on Henderson Drive, where the victim was found dead on her bed.
Disturbing Details Emerge During Police Interview
Once in custody, Juska revealed the victim was a family friend staying overnight. He confessed to wanting to “lash out” but claimed it was important she wasn’t someone close to him. He admitted to drinking and taking cocaine the night before the murder. At 6:40am, he grabbed a knife, climbed the stairs, and stabbed the woman multiple times as she slept. Disturbingly, he also sexually abused her after her death.
Life Sentence for Heinous Crime
Juska pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced on November 28, 2025, to life imprisonment. He must serve a minimum of 24 years and seven months before parole is considered.
Judge Justice Dexter Dias KC described Juska as a “deeply disturbed individual” who committed an “extreme explosion of sexual and sadistic conduct.”
He warned, “There may never become a time where it is safe to release you.”
Detective Sergeant Max Gregory slammed Juska’s “shocking and senseless brutality” and “depravity which defies belief.”
“He targeted a helpless victim as she slept, inflicting multiple injuries during a sustained and savage attack,” Gregory said. “His actions have devastated a family, taking away a much-loved daughter and sister.”
“We are relieved he is now behind bars for life and can no longer threaten anyone.”
