King's Lynn: Woman guilty of Dace Kalkerte's murder

Birute Klicneliene, 50, was convicted of the murder of Dace Kalkerte, also 50, who was stabbed to death in her King's Lynn flat.

The two women had only met earlier that evening while drinking with their partners at an allotment in the town.

A jury of nine men and three women jury took just over eight hours and 20 minutes to unanimously find Klicneliene, of Sir Lewis Street, Lynn, guilty. 

She has been on trial at the town's crown court for two weeks, having denied the charge. She claimed she had seen a mystery man running away from the murder scene.

Ms Kalkerte suffered a total of 25 wounds in the attack at her flat in Highgate, off Gaywood Road, on April 15 this year.

She later died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

Police say only Klicneliene knows the motive for the killing and that the level of violence is "beyond comprehension".

Judge Alice Robinson adjourned the sentence until a date to be fixed, although it is likely to be in January next year.

The trial, which started on October 24, heard from Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, that Ms Kalkerte had been found in the hallway of the flat while a large knife was found on the kitchen floor.

He said: "Not only was the defendant’s DNA recovered from the handle of the knife, but her T-shirt and trousers were also heavily stained with Ms Kalkerte’s blood.

“The prosecution say this is consistent with her having carried out the murderous attack.”

Klicneliene, who was "worse for drink", went with Ms Kalkerte back to her Highgate home arriving at about 10.15pm.

Mr Jackson said at about 11.30pm Ms Kalkerte had been "fatally wounded", suffering stab wounds to her abdomen that caused internal bleeding that led to her suffering a cardiac arrest.

“There were wounds to her right hand that showed she had tried to defend herself against the knife wielded by her killer,” he added.

Klicneliene had told police she had been asleep on the sofa when she was awoken by noises and had found Ms Kalkerte lying by the front door.

She said she "hugged" the victim and "pulled a knife out of her body" before knocking on doors nearby to try and call for help.

She also claimed to have seen a blond-haired or bald man running away from the area.

Mr Jackson said the prosecution contended that she had carried out the attack in an “explosion of anger and murderous violence”.

In total Ms Kalkerte sustained 16 stab and puncture wounds and nine incised wounds, including defensive injuries to her right hand.

A blood-stained knife was also recovered from the scene.

Ms Kalkerte was taken to hospital in the early hours of April 16 this year with multiple stab wounds.

She never regained consciousness and died at 2.28am the same day.

Forensic analysis of the murder scene showed there was not any sign of forced entry to the flat or any evidence of blood from the top of the stairway to the communal front door.

Following Klicneliene's conviction, Detective Inspector Chris Burgess, from the Joint Major Investigation Team at Norfolk Police, said: “What happened in that flat on that evening that caused Klicnelience to do what she did is beyond our comprehension.

"This was a sustained and brutal attack, and it is difficult for us to understand why she behaved with such deliberate and directed violence.

"Only Klicneliene knows why she acted like this.

“Dace’s partner and children are forced to deal with the aftermath of her tragic death, and I am grateful for their support and bravery throughout this investigation.

"Thankfully, incidents like this are rare in Norfolk.

"I hope today's guilty verdict offers Dace’s family some resolution and closure and that Klicneliene will, perhaps one day, take responsibility for her actions.”

Klicneliene was initially arrested together with two men.

The men have since been told no further action will be taken against them by police.