# Man sent for trial over murder of wife in Portlaoise Case 651. Murder, Co. Laois **TL;DR:** Adina Raluca Constantin, a Romanian woman in her 50s (reported as 49 or 55) who had lived in Portlaoise for about 15 years, died after an assault at a house on Church Street shortly after 12.30pm on Sunday 5 July 2026. A man in his 70s known to her was arrested at the scene, and Eugen Constantin, 72, of 25 Church Street, Portlaoise, was charged with her murder on 6 July. He appeared before Portlaoise District Court on 7 July, where Judge Andrew Cody remanded him in custody to Cloverhill Prison and criticised the failure to secure him legal representation while in garda custody. A vigil of about 50 people was held in Portlaoise on 18 July. At subsequent sittings the DPP directed that he be sent forward for trial, and on 11 November 2026, after the book of evidence was served, he was sent forward to the Central Criminal Court and remanded in custody with consent to bail. **Stage:** In court. Reported stages: Reported (2026-07-05), Arrested (2026-07-01), Charged (2026-07-01), In court (2026-07-07) ## People - Victim: Adina Raluca Constantin, Romanian woman, 49 (reports differ: 55) - Suspect: Eugen Constantin, Romanian man, 72 ## Key facts **What happened** - Adina Raluca Constantin, a Romanian woman aged 49 or 55 according to different reports, died after an assault at a house in Portlaoise. **Where** - The assault happened at a domestic residence on Church Street, Portlaoise, with the accused's address given as 25 Church Street. **When** - Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 12.30pm on Sunday 5 July 2026, and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. **Cause** - The woman died from multiple stab wounds, having been stabbed several times in a row. **Other details** - The victim had lived in Ireland for about 15 years and worked in a medical clinic in Portlaoise. - Gardaí made upwards of 40 calls to solicitors without securing representation for the accused, a criticism Judge Cody called disgraceful, and solicitor Philip Meagher later acted for him privately. - The accused is being treated for cancer and other medical conditions, and a Romanian interpreter was engaged for the case. - A vigil of about 50 people, including gardaí and Laois Domestic Abuse Service staff, was held in the memorial garden in Portlaoise on 18 July 2026. **Investigation** - A man in his 70s known to the victim was arrested at the scene and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, and gardaí said they were not looking for other suspects. - A senior investigating officer was appointed, an incident room was set up at Portlaoise Garda station, the scene was preserved for technical examination, and the State Pathologist was notified for a post-mortem. - Gardaí appealed for witnesses and for CCTV or dashcam footage from the Church Street area between 11am and 1pm on 5 July 2026, and carried out door-to-door enquiries. **Charges** - Eugen Constantin, 72, of 25 Church Street, Portlaoise, was charged on 6 July 2026 with the murder of his wife Adina Raluca Constantin on 5 July 2026. **In court** - At Portlaoise District Court on 7 July 2026, Judge Andrew Cody remanded him in custody to Cloverhill Prison, with no bail application possible at district court level for a murder charge. - On 11 November 2026, after a book of evidence was served and the DPP directed he be sent forward, Eugen Constantin was sent for trial to the Central Criminal Court and remanded in custody with consent to bail, having earlier been granted High Court bail but unable to take it up. ## Reports (31) | Date | Outlet | Report | |---|---|---| | 2026-07-01 | thejournal.ie | [Eugen Constantin (72) charged with murder of his wife Adina Raluca Constantin in Portlaoise](https://www.thejournal.ie/portlaoise-man-charged-murder-wife-constantin-7093994-Jul2026/) | | 2026-07-01 | thejournal.ie | [Man charged over fatal assault of woman at house in Portlaoise](https://www.thejournal.ie/man-charged-fatal-assault-woman-portlaoise-7093762-Jul2026/) | | 2026-07-01 | thejournal.ie | [Woman stabbed to death in Portlaoise named locally as Adina Raluca Constantin](https://www.thejournal.ie/garda-investigation-portlaoise-stabbing-murder-fatal-assault-7092864-Jul2026/) | | 2026-07-01 | thejournal.ie | [Man (70s) arrested as woman (50s) found dead following assault in house in Portlaoise](https://www.thejournal.ie/woman-dead-fatal-assault-man-arrest-portlaoise-7092063-Jul2026/) | | 2026-07-05 | garda.ie | [Issue Date: 05/07/2026 Fatal Assault, Portlaoise, Co Laois, 5th July 2026](https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/press-releases/2026/july/issue-date-05-07-2026-fatal-assault-portlaoise-co-laois-5th-july-2026.html) | | 2026-07-05 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Major Garda investigation into fatal incident in Laois](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/major-garda-investigation-over-fatal-incident-in-laois-8778962) | | 2026-07-05 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man arrested after woman dies in fatal assault in Laois](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-arrested-after-woman-dies-in-fatal-assault-in-laois-8778996) | | 2026-07-05 | irishtimes.com | [Gardaí hold man in custody following death of woman (50s) in Portlaoise](https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2026/07/05/woman-50s-dies-after-assault-in-portlaoise/) | | 2026-07-05 | longfordleader.ie | [Man arrested after woman dies in fatal assault in Midlands](https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/crime-courts/man-arrested-after-woman-dies-in-fatal-assault-in-midlands-8779148) | | 2026-07-06 | leinsterexpress.ie | [UPDATE: Scene of fatal assault in Portlaoise remains blocked off](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime/update-scene-of-fatal-assault-in-portlaoise-remains-blocked-off-8779741) | | 2026-07-06 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Deceased woman named locally following fatal assault in Laois](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/deceased-woman-named-locally-following-fatal-assault-in-laois-8780277) | | 2026-07-06 | irishmirror.ie | [Woman who died in alleged attack in Portlaoise pictured for first time](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/woman-who-died-alleged-attack-37393999) | | 2026-07-06 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Heartbreaking: Laois locals pay tribute to victim of fatal Portlaoise assault](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/heartbreaking-laois-locals-pay-tribute-to-victim-of-fatal-portlaoise-assault-8781020) | | 2026-07-07 | extra.ie | [Woman, 55, found dead at Portlaoise home had been stabbed several times](https://extra.ie/2026/07/07/news/woman-55-stabbed-to-death) | | 2026-07-07 | rte.ie | [Man, 72, charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise](https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2026/0707/1582124-eugen-constantin-court/) | | 2026-07-07 | irishtimes.com | [Man due in court in connection with woman’s death in Portlaoise](https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2026/07/07/man-due-in-court-in-connection-with-womans-death-in-portlaoise/) | | 2026-07-07 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man due in court in in connection with fatal assault in Laois](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-due-in-court-in-in-connection-with-fatal-assault-in-laois-8781509) | | 2026-07-07 | irishmirror.ie | [Man due in court charged in connection with fatal Portlaoise assault](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/man-due-court-charged-connection-37396553) | | 2026-07-07 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Gardaí reopen road at scene of fatal Portlaoise assault](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/gardai-reopen-road-at-scene-of-fatal-portlaoise-assault-8781742) | | 2026-07-07 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man appears in court charged with murder in Laois](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-appears-in-court-charged-with-murder-in-laois-8782272) | | 2026-07-07 | irishtimes.com | [Man (72) charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise](https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2026/07/07/man-72-charged-with-murder-of-his-wife-in-portlaoise/) | | 2026-07-07 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Judge slams solicitors' ‘shameless hypocrisy’ in Laois murder case](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/judge-slams-shameless-hypocrisy-over-laois-murder-accused-unable-to-access-solicitor-8782492) | | 2026-07-07 | extra.ie | [Man, 70s, charged in connection with death of wife in Laois](https://extra.ie/2026/07/07/news/woman-found-dead-after-assault-laois) | | 2026-07-07 | garda.ie | [07/07/2026 Update 1: Court Appearance Fatal Assault, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. 5th July, 2026.](https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/press-releases/2026/july/07-07-2026-update-1-court-appearance-fatal-assault-portlaoise-co-laois-5th-july-2026-.html) | | 2026-07-07 | irishmirror.ie | [Cancer sufferer, 72, charged with murder of his wife in Portlaoise](https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/cancer-sufferer-72-charged-murder-37398133) | | 2026-07-13 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man accused of murdering woman in Laois to seek bail](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-accused-of-murdering-woman-in-laois-to-seek-bail-8794467) | | 2026-07-20 | leinsterexpress.ie | [PICTURES: Laois vigil for woman who suffered violent fatal attack](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/video-and-photogallery/pictures-laois-vigil-for-woman-who-suffered-violent-fatal-attack-8811522) | | 2026-09-06 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man appears in Portlaoise court accused of murder](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-appears-in-portlaoise-court-accused-of-murder-8961466) | | 2026-09-30 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man appears in court accused of murder in Portlaoise](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-appears-in-court-accused-of-murder-in-portlaoise-9233242) | | 2026-10-19 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Solicitor change for man accused of murder in Laois](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/solicitor-change-for-man-accused-of-murder-in-laois-9295475) | | 2026-11-11 | leinsterexpress.ie | [Man sent for trial over Portlaoise murder](https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/crime-courts/man-sent-for-trial-over-portlaoise-murder-9345156) | HTML: https://irelandcrime.com/case/man-sent-for-trial-over-murder-of-wife-in-portlaoise-651 This page is put together automatically from the reports listed above. 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