Romanian Man in Custody After Allegedly Murdering Gay U.K. Man

A Romanian man who allegedly beat an openly gay U.K. man to death after the two met and had sex, turned himself into the authorities, the British newspaper the Birmingham Mail reported.

The Birmingham Crown Court was told that Florian Baboi, 35, killed David McArthur, 63, after they had consensual sex in August of last year. After McArthur was murdered, Baboi allegedly fled to his home country of Romania. According to prosecutor Graham Reeds, the suspect returned to the U.K. after turning himself over to the British Embassy in Bucharest -- Romania's capital.

Reeds said that the two men met in Birmingham's gay district. "They had gone back to Woodbrooke Grove for the purposes of sex," he said. "Once there consensual sexual activity took place and, after that, the defendant battered David McArthur, kicking and stamping on his head and chest before leaving him for dead, half-naked, at the foot of the stairs in the hallway of his home," said Mr Reeds.

Reeds claims that eyewitnesses saw Baboi drunk and covered in blood while he was waiting for a bus. The lawyer also noted that the Romanian asked a man, who saw him with the victim the previous night, for money and to use his phone to call a cab.

Reeds added that Baboi returned home and told his roommates that he "hit a gay man" who refused to give him money. He then took a bus to Romania.

Police found a watch Baboi stole from McArthur after searching the suspect's home. Baboi has denied allegations that he murdered McArthur.

A BBC article from August 27, 2011 that local authorities said they were unsure what the motive for the attack was.

"The victim may have possibly known his assailant but all other lines of inquiry are being pursued," Detective Inspector Wayne Jones said. "What is clear is that Mr McArthur was subjected to a sustained and ferocious assault and we need to trace the offender."