Case No. 0651Murder · Co. Laois · 5 Jul 2026
Cancer sufferer, 72, charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise
A woman was found dead from multiple stab wounds at a domestic residence on Church Street, Portlaoise, Co Laois, at approximately 12:30pm on Sunday 5 July 2026. The victim, Adina Raluca Constantin, was Romanian-born and had lived in Portlaoise for about 15 years; reports give her age as 49, 50, or 55. Her husband, Eugen Constantin, 72, was arrested at the scene and charged with her murder. He appeared at Portlaoise District Court on 7 July 2026, where Judge Andrew Cody remanded him to Cloverhill Prison and described it as disgraceful that he had no access to a solicitor during 48 hours in custody. Constantin, who is being treated for cancer, is due to appear by video-link in July 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested5 Jul
3 reports - Charged7 Jul
4 reports - In court7 Jul
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A woman was killed in a fatal assault at her home and was pronounced dead at the scene.
- The victim, Adina Raluca Constantin, was Romanian-born and had been a resident of Portlaoise for about 15 years; reports give her age as 49, 50, or 55.
- A man known to the victim, Eugen Constantin, 72, was arrested at the scene and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
- Where
- The incident occurred at a domestic residence on Church Street, Portlaoise, Co Laois.
- When
- The incident occurred at approximately 12:30pm on Sunday 5 July 2026.
- Cause
- The victim died from multiple stab wounds.
- Investigation
- A Senior Investigating Officer was appointed, an incident room was established at Portlaoise Garda Station, and Gardaí appealed for witnesses and camera footage from the Church Street area between 11:00am and 1:00pm on 5 July 2026.
- Charges
- Constantin was charged with the murder of his wife; one report gives the time as 11:24pm on Monday 6 July 2026, while another states he was charged on Tuesday.
- In court
- He appeared at Portlaoise District Court on 7 July 2026, where Judge Andrew Cody (reported as Coady in one article) remanded him to Cloverhill Prison, with a next appearance by video-link on either 13 July or 17 July 2026.
- The judge described it as disgraceful that Constantin had no access to a solicitor during his 48 hours in custody and granted a full medical assessment with prescription medication to travel with him.
- Other details
- Constantin is being treated for cancer and other medical conditions; his first language is not English and a Romanian interpreter was engaged by his defending solicitor.
- Constantin could not apply for bail at the District Court due to the nature of the charge and would make a bail application to the High Court.
79 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGardaí in Laois are investigating a fatal assault in Portlaoise on 5 July 2026. (garda.ie)
- whatA woman in her 50s was pronounced deceased at the scene. (garda.ie)
- whatA man in his 70s was arrested at the scene. (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whatA woman in her 50s was killed in an assault in Co Laois on Sunday (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe victim was attacked by a man known to her (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe victim was in her 50s and the man detained was in his 70s (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe victim was dead inside the property when emergency services arrived (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí believe the victim met a violent death, pending a postmortem examination (irishtimes.com)
- whatAdina Constantin was pronounced dead at the scene of an alleged assault (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAdina Constantin was Romanian-born (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim had been a resident in Portlaoise for about 15 years (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe suspect was a man known to the victim (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his 70s was charged in relation to a fatal assault on a 55-year-old woman in Portlaoise, Co Laois, over the weekend (irishtimes.com)
- whatAdina Raluca Constantin, a Romanian national, was found deceased in her home by emergency services (irishtimes.com)
- whatAdina Constantin was 49 years old (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAdina Constantin was pronounced dead at the scene (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA fatal assault occurred at a domestic residence on Church Street, Portlaoise. (garda.ie)
- whatThe suspect is a man in his 70s. (garda.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at a domestic residence on Church Street. (garda.ie)
- whereThe attack happened at a residential address on Church St, Portlaoise (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident occurred at a home on Church Street in Portlaoise (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at a domestic residence on Church Street in Portlaoise, Co Laois (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at a domestic residence on Church Street, Portlaoise, Co Laois (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGardaí and emergency services responded shortly after 12:30pm. (garda.ie)
- whenThe attack happened at about 12.30pm (irishtimes.com)
- whenEmergency services were called shortly after 12:30pm on Sunday 5 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident happened at about 12.30pm on Sunday at a residential address on Church Street, Portlaoise (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident occurred at around 12.30pm on Sunday (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe murder occurred on Sunday, 5 July 2026 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident took place on Sunday afternoon 5 July 2026 at approximately 12:30pm. (garda.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred at around 12.30pm on Sunday, 5 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe victim died from multiple stab wounds (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe State Pathologist has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe arrested man is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe scene is preserved for technical examination. (garda.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationA Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed and an incident room established at Portlaoise Garda station. (garda.ie)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for witnesses and camera footage from the Church Street area between 11:00am and 1:00pm on 5 July 2026. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe arrested man is a key person of interest who was arrested at the scene (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA senior investigating officer was appointed and an incident room established at Portlaoise Garda station (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe man in his 70s is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a station in the Garda eastern region (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGarda Technical Bureau was called to carry out a technical examination to isolate forensic evidence (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí appealed for witnesses in the Church St area between 11am and 1pm (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí appealed especially to motorists who were recording dashcam footage in the area (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe man was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe house was sealed off for technical examination (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA Senior Investigating Officer was appointed to lead the investigation (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAn incident room was established at Portlaoise Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe State Pathologist was notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for witnesses and camera footage from the Church Street area between 11:00am and 1:00pm (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man in his 70s was arrested at the scene (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man was in Garda custody in Portlaoise (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationAn incident room has been established at Portlaoise Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie)
- chargeThe man was charged by gardaí on Tuesday (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe man was charged in relation to the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeEugen Constantin was charged with the murder of his wife (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe man has been charged in relation to the incident. (garda.ie)
- chargeHe was charged with the murder of his wife Adina Constantin (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe was charged with murder at 11.24pm on Monday, 6 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe man is due to appear before Portlaoise District Court at 10.30am (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe man was due before Portlaoise District Court on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtConstantin could not apply to the District Court for bail due to the nature of the charge (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Andrew Cody remanded Constantin to Cloverhill Prison (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was due to appear before Portlaoise District Court on Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 10:30am. (garda.ie)
- courtHe appeared at Portlaoise District Court on 7 July 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge said the failure to guarantee fundamental rights was disgraceful (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe accused was remanded in custody to appear on 13 July 2026 via videolink (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge granted a full medical assessment and that prescription medication travel with him (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe suspect can be detained for up to 24 hours (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAdina Constantin had been a resident of Portlaoise for about 15 years (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man was known to Ms Constantin (irishmirror.ie)
- otherDefending solicitor Philip Meagher engaged a Romanian interpreter (irishtimes.com)
- otherConstantin is being treated for cancer and other medical conditions (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe revised legal aid scheme offers a once-off fee of €520 for District Court appearances (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused is 72 and undergoing treatment for cancer (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim was 49 years old (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe victim was Romanian-born (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused had no access to a solicitor during his 48 hours in custody (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused's first language is not English (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Jul2026Cancer sufferer, 72, charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise
Reports the charging and first court appearance, with the judge's strong criticism of the legal aid system's failure to provide representation to the accused during 48 hours in custody.
victim, Adina Constantin, 49, female, Romanian, non-irishAdina Constantinsuspect, Eugen Constantin, 72, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Eugen Constantin - 7 Jul202607/07/2026 Update 1: Court Appearance Fatal Assault, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. 5th July, 2026.
Garda press release confirming the charge and court appearance; specifies the incident occurred at approximately 12:30pm and that investigations are ongoing.
accused, 70s, male - 7 Jul2026Man (72) charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise
Details of the 7 July 2026 court appearance: Constantin remanded to Cloverhill Prison with next appearance 17 July by video-link; Judge Cody's criticism of the legal aid system and the 40+ phone calls to secure representation; Constantin is a private client being treated for cancer; Romanian interpreter engaged; victim's full name and age (50) confirmed.
victim, Adina Raluca Constantin, 50, female, non-irish (judged from name)Adina Raluca Constantinsuspect, Eugen Constantin, 72, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Eugen Constantin - 7 Jul2026Man due in court charged in connection with fatal Portlaoise assault
Reports the man's court appearance at Portlaoise District Court on 7 July 2026, confirms Adina Constantin was Romanian-born and a long-term resident of about 15 years, and notes an incident room has been established at Portlaoise Garda Station.
victim, Adina Constantin, 49, female, Romanian, non-irishAdina Constantinsuspect, 70s, male - 7 Jul2026Man due in court in connection with woman’s death in Portlaoise
Confirms the victim died from multiple stab wounds, that the man was arrested at the scene and charged on Tuesday, and that he is due before Portlaoise District Court at 10.30am.
victim, Adina Raluca Constantin, 55, female, Romanian, non-irishAdina Raluca Constantinsuspect, 70s, male - 6 Jul2026Woman who died in alleged attack in Portlaoise pictured for first time
First published photograph of the victim; details of the initial emergency response, arrest under Section 4, appointment of a Senior Investigating Officer, and Garda appeal for witnesses and CCTV/dashcam footage from the Church Street area between 11:00am and 1:00pm on 5 July 2026.
victim, Adina Constantin, 49, woman, Romanian, non-irishAdina Constantinsuspect, 70s, man - 5 Jul2026Gardaí hold man in custody following death of woman (50s) in Portlaoise
Initial arrest report: man in 70s detained under Section 4 at the scene; Garda Technical Bureau examining the property; witness appeal for Church St area between 11am and 1pm; Gardaí believe victim met a violent death pending postmortem.
victim, 50s, femalesuspect, 70s, male - 5 Jul2026Issue Date: 05/07/2026 Fatal Assault, Portlaoise, Co Laois, 5th July 2026
Initial Garda press release confirming the fatal assault, the arrest of a man in his 70s at the scene, the preservation of the scene, and a witness appeal for CCTV and dashcam footage from Church Street between 11:00am and 1:00pm.
victim, 50s, femalesuspect, 70s, male