Police hunting killer of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte issue CCTto identify mystery man

Police hunting the killer of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte have issued an urgent plea with CCTV images to identify a mystery man who is pictured moments before the tragic incident.

The bearded man wearing a blue T shirt and black trousers is believed to have been filmed by a CCTV camera at around the time that Lilia was stabbed to death in Boston, Lincolnshire on Thursday evening.

The CCTV images of the wanted man were taken by cameras in a cobbled historic street called Wormgate, just around the corner from Fountain Lane. It is thought that the man was pictured moments before the attack.

The manhunt was launched this morning by Lincolnshire Police after two people, who were earlier arrested in connection with her death, were released and told they faced no further action.

Lilia was knifed at around 6.20pm on 28 July while she was reportedly playing in the street with her sister outside an embroidery and screen printing shop run by her Lithuanian mother Lina Savicke in Fountain Lane, Boston.

A Lincolnshire Police statement said: ‘We are urgently appealing for the public’s help to identify the man in these photographs, who we want to speak to following the death of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte.

The bearded man wearing a blue T shirt and black trousers (pictured) is believed to have been filmed by a CCTV camera at around the time that Lilia was stabbed to death in Boston, Lincolnshire

The manhunt was launched this morning by Lincolnshire Police after two people who were earlier arrested in connection with her death were released and told they faced no further action

‘As part of our fast-moving murder investigation, we now have CCTV images of a man who we need to locate.

‘Any information, however small, may prove critical to our enquiries. Two people who were arrested earlier this week have now been released with no further action.’

Chief Superintendent Martyn Parker of Lincolnshire Police said: ‘Our officers have been working round the clock on this investigation, and the public’s help may prove crucial.

‘These are very clear images of a man we want to speak to, so I’d urge anyone with information to get in touch with us. If you see him, do not approach him but immediately call 999.

Lincolnshire Police said: ‘These are very clear images of a man we want to speak to, so I’d urge anyone with information to get in touch with us. If you see him, do not approach him but immediately call 999’

 A Lincolnshire Police statement said: ‘We are urgently appealing for the public’s help to identify the man in these photographs, who we want to speak to following the death of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte’

‘This is a particularly tragic case and I’d like to reassure the public that we have a huge amount of resources dedicated to the investigation.

‘We continue to provide support to the family of Lilia, as they grieve following this unimaginable loss.’

Police have not disclosed the age or sex of the people who were earlier arrested, but confirmed that they were not the parents of Lilia who was known as Lily.

Anyone who sees the man or recognises him should call 999 quoting Incident 419 of 28 July.

If you have any information relating to our investigation, including if you think you know the identity of this man, call 101 quoting Incident 419 of 28 July.

The death of the nine-year-old girl, whose family were from Lithuania, has locals left in ‘profound shock’ and the local MP appealing for national assistance to catch her killer

Two people were arrested yesterday morning in connection with the death of Lilia (pictured), with police describing the stabbing as an ‘isolated’ incident

Lilia, whose family were from Lithuania, was found on a quiet lane in Boston at around 6.20pm on Thursday – with locals left in ‘profound shock’ and the local MP appealing for national assistance to catch the killer. 

Chief Superintendent Parker announced the manhunt by reading a statement to the media at the top of Fountain Lane on Saturday, beside a growing collection of floral tributes and cuddly toys left by well-wishers in memory of Lilia.

He refused to answer questions after reading his prepared statement as a small crowd of shoppers looked on in the town centre street.

Friends of Lilia were today lighting candles in her memory at the 14th century St Botolph’s Church, known as the Boston Stum, just 100 yards from the murder scene.

They included Tia Mills, nine, and Imani Bradley, nine, who were in her class at the Carlton Road Academy primary school in Boston.

Tia who was with her mother said: ‘She was nice. She liked Harry Potter. She was quite quiet. She was a good friend. She liked to dance.

Imani who was with her grandmother added: ‘She was just a very lovely girl. She was nice, funny, loving and caring.’

Tia’s mother who asked not to be named said: ‘It’s disgusting beyond words. Something needs to be done in this town to make sure our children have a confident future and are able to walk the streets. They need to feel safe.

Chief Superintendent Parker announced the manhunt by reading a statement to the media at the top of Fountain Lane on Saturday, beside a growing collection of floral tributes and cuddly toys left by well-wishers in memory of Lilia.

‘I was devastated and traumatised speaking to some of the other parents. Their children are heartbroken. It’s really shaken the town.’

A prayer written out and placed on a table beside the candles, said: ‘Today the people of Boston are in a state of shock and disbelief.

‘We find it hard to accept what has happened to this precious child. As a community our hearts are broken, and we cannot even begin to understand. The pain and despair that the family and their friends will be feeling.’

Another prayer added: ‘We feel helpless and inadequate in the face of such suffering.’

Father-of-five Mark Gostelow said he wanted to light a candle for Lilia’s life. He said: ‘It’s horrific, I’ve got children myself so it hits home with me.’

Jerena Tyler, who also paid her respects at the Gothic church, said: ‘It breaks your heart because you’re thinking all of her nine-year-old life has been wiped away in one night.’

St Botolph’s rector, the rev Jane Robertson, said: ‘People feel they can’t do anything and they want to do something.

Flowers and cuddly toy tributes left in memory of Lilia Valutyte, nine, who was stabbed to death in Boston, Lincolnshire

‘The church offers a space for people to come in and do something and actually do something tangible, even if it’s to sit and say why or to feel anger or frustration or that awful sense of this is wrong.’

Scores of floral tributes along with teddy bears were left in a growing pile close to the murder scene by people from all different communities in the town which is known for its high migrant population.

One message attached to flowers said: ‘RIP little one, taken too soon’. Another added: ‘Sleep well little angel, thoughts and prayers with your family.’

Children left more than a dozens of hand drawn pictures of angels in Lilia’s memory.

One of the pictures had the message, ‘Fly high sweet baby Lilia’ . Another said: ‘Lilia, I do feel bad that you died but I hope you had a wonderful life. I’m sure you did.’

The police cordon around the spot where Lilia died was lifted overnight allowing the public to walk past the scene.

An Eastern European man who said he was a friend of her family wept as he left roses and lit two candles in jars at the scene.

A third collection of flowers and toys at the other end of Fountain Lane included a copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

The death of the nine-year-old girl, whose family were from Lithuania, has locals left in ‘profound shock’ and the local MP appealing for national assistance to catch her killer

A small tent has been pictured at the murder scene near the town’s historic St Botolph’s Church as forensic officers bagged up evidence. 

A large object appeared to be covered in the middle of the alleyway, which was marked by small yellow signs.

Lilia was attacked just feet away from her mother’s screen printing and embroidery shop called Sava Code Embroidery in Fountain Lane.

Ms Savicke previously ran a restaurant and bar called Paradise at the same premises next to the offices of gangmaster MS Agricultural Services where she worked as a supervisor.

It is believed that she opened the shop early in March this year, offering customised logos on bags and T shirts for local clubs and organisations, as well as personalised cushions and other items embroidered or printed with personal messages.

The UK is in the grip of a knife crime epidemic, with the latest figures for England and Wales showing offences involving knives are up by 10 per cent compared to the previous year. 

This weekend saw a wave of stabbings in London that saw three people killed in less than 24 hours and another badly injured.

Horrifically, this is not the first time children have become victims of fatal stabbings in Britain, with 12-year-old Ava White murdered by a teenager in Liverpool last November. He was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years in jail.

A forensic officer near the scene in Boston earlier today as a police cordon remains in place following the stabbing at around 6.20pm on Thursday

The UK is in the grip of a knife crime epidemic, with the latest figures for England and Wales showing offences involving knives are up by 10 per cent compared to the previous year. 

This weekend saw a wave of stabbings in London that saw three people killed in less than 24 hours and another badly injured.

Horrifically, this is not the first time children have become victims of fatal stabbings in Britain, with 12-year-old Ava White murdered by a teenager in Liverpool last November. He was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years in jail.