Man allegedly killed over unpaid Airbnb debt
An Airbnb host has apologised for killing a visitor over a $210 debt, and will be sentenced in the Supreme Court next week.
Craig Levy pled guilty to mansluaghter in August for his role in Ramis Jonuzi’s death on October 25 last year in Brighton East.
Jonuzi (pictured below) was asked to leave the room he was renting from Levy the day he died, after falling behind on Airbnb payments to his host.
He was ready to go before an argument started in the living room, which then moved outside, where he was later found dead, face down in a chocolate cake. According to Nine News, Jonuzi died from compression of the neck and blunt force trauma to the head.
Levy admitted to grabbing his guest by the legs, and also elbowing him in the chest at one point. Jonuzi was also held down, punched and kicked, as he cried and apologised while struggling to breathe.
Levy’s housemate Ryan Smart also pled guilty to manslaughter, and another housemate, Jason Colton, will face trial for murder in February next year.
During the altercation, Levy went back into the house to call police for help.
Levy’s charge was downgraded from murder, and while he’s said he’s sorry for what happened, Jonuzi’s sister said she will never forgive him in a Melbourne Court this week.
Naime Balla told the defendant that the murder had destroyed her family.
“You will never be forgiven for what you’ve done,” she told the court.
Megan Tittensor, Levy’s lawyer, told the court he was very sorry for the incident and knows he will never have a clear conscience. She also said he had a good chance of rehabilitation in the future.
Levy will face sentencing next Thursday, and Smart will be sentenced at a later date.
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