Warning: This article contains details that readers may find distressing
A forensic science undergraduate fascinated by the television series Dexter has admitted to the murder of a 24-year-old woman after enticing her to a plastic-lined room inside an Airbnb rental property. Benjamin William Day, now 20, entered a guilty plea on the second day of his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 6 October 2026.
The University of Worcester student, residing in Yeadon Close in Redditch, Worcestershire, had been 19 years old when he carried out the killing of Maria Saceanu. He was remanded in custody and faces sentencing on 4 December 2026.
How did the crime unfold?
Prosecutors established that Day had methodically prepared for the killing of Saceanu, a sex worker whom he had contacted via a website using a burner phone. He rented a room in the Tividale area of the West Midlands and lined the walls and floor with plastic sheeting, deliberately mimicking the methods of the fictional character Dexter to conceal evidence of his actions.
During the first day of proceedings, the court heard that Day inflicted 78 knife wounds on Saceanu. According to local reporting, a lodger at the property discovered a trail of blood across the floor, hallway, stairs, kitchen sink and bathroom, indicating the violence that had occurred within the premises.
Day subsequently abandoned what prosecutors described as the
gruesome taskof dismemberment after sustaining a cut to himself. Prosecutor Rachel Brand KC outlined that he had assembled a deliberate
shopping listof items to facilitate the murder and conceal his involvement, including an apron, a plastic visor and cleaning chemicals.
What evidence did prosecutors present?
The prosecution case revealed that Day had taken steps to preserve evidence of his crime in a deeply disturbing manner. According to investigative reporting, Day retained a microscopic slide containing Saceanu's blood as a
trophy, demonstrating a calculated approach to memorialising his actions.
The meticulous preparation of the rental room, combined with the acquisition of specialist materials and the retention of biological evidence, painted a picture of premeditation that contradicted Day's initial legal strategy.
Why did Day change his plea?
Initially, Day had been expected to argue that he had acted in self-defence and that he had prepared the room to film a Dexter tribute video for the social media platform TikTok. However, after an hour-long adjournment to proceedings, Day returned to the courtroom and entered a guilty plea, appearing to smirk as he did so.
In February 2026, Day had previously pleaded not guilty at an earlier court hearing and was remanded in custody pending trial. His decision to change his plea on the second day of the trial brought the proceedings to an abrupt conclusion.
What happens next?
Day will return to court for sentencing on 4 December 2026, when the judge will determine his punishment for the murder. His guilty plea means that the trial will not proceed to a verdict stage, and the focus will shift to mitigation and sentencing considerations.
Key Facts:
- Benjamin William Day, 20, admitted murdering Maria Saceanu, 24, after luring her to a rented Airbnb room in Tividale, West Midlands
- Day inflicted 78 knife wounds on Saceanu and prepared the room with plastic sheeting and specialist items, emulating methods from the television series Dexter
- Prosecutors revealed Day retained a microscopic slide of Saceanu's blood as a trophy and had compiled a shopping list of materials to facilitate the murder
- Day changed his plea to guilty on 6 October 2026, the second day of his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court
- He is due to be sentenced on 4 December 2026
