Ireland Case No. 5542Murder · Co. Meath · 12 Nov 2022
Murder trial of Andrei Dobra hears accused's Garda interview
Andrei Dobra, a 36-year-old Romanian national (one report says 35), is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for murdering his fiancee, Ioana Mihaela Pacala, a 30-year-old Romanian national, on or about 12 November 2022 at their flat at Riverwalk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath, Co Meath. The State Pathologist found she was strangled and died from a lack of oxygen to the brain. Dobra was arraigned on Monday and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and the trial opened on Tuesday before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury. Garda interview evidence in which he said he squeezed her neck has been heard, and the trial continues on Friday and is expected to last up to five days.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court1 Jul
3 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Ioana Mihaela Pacala, a 30-year-old Romanian national, was the victim, and she and the accused were due to be married.
- The accused, Andrei Dobra, is a Romanian national aged 36 according to most reports, though one report gives his age as 35.
- Where
- The killing took place in the couple's flat at Riverwalk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath, Co Meath.
- When
- The killing occurred on or about 12 November 2022.
- Cause
- State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster found the victim was strangled and died from a lack of oxygen to the brain.
- Weapon
- The accused told gardaí he used his arms to strangle the victim and squeezed her neck.
- Investigation
- The garda who met the accused at the flat described him as blank, vacant and detached in one report, and as extremely calm and emotionless in another.
- The accused told gardaí he felt like some monster he could not control.
- Gardaí travelled to Romania to meet the families of the deceased and the accused.
- Charges
- Andrei Dobra is charged with murdering Ioana Mihaela Pacala.
- In court
- Dobra was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court on Monday, as reported on 1 July 2024, and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
- The trial opened on Tuesday, as reported on 2 July 2024, before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury of six men and six women.
- Consultant psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright will give evidence for the prosecution and Dr Patricia Casey for the defence, both saying the accused had a mental disorder at the time of the killing.
- Other details
- Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC told the jury the accused would admit to strangling his partner, and the defence says he was under an irresistible compulsion or in a total absence of reason.
- The accused and the victim were described as a very hardworking young couple who were committed to each other and planning to marry.
35 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe accused and the victim were due to be married (irishtimes.com)
- whatBoth the accused and the victim were Romanian nationals (irishtimes.com)
- whatThere was a mental health issue in the case relating to the accused (irishtimes.com)
- whatAndrei Dobra has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering his fiancee. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused told gardaí he squeezed the victim's neck, which he described as a very big mistake. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused and the victim, both Romanian nationals, were described as a very hardworking young couple planning to get married. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe accused lives at Riverwalk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe murder took place in their flat at the Ratoath address (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe killing happened at the home the couple shared at Riverwalk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe killing took place in the couple's flat at Riverwalk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath, Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe murder occurred on or about 12 November 2022 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe killing happened on 12 November 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe killing happened on or about 12 November 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe pathologist found the cause of death was asphyxia and strangulation. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe State Pathologist determined that the victim was strangled and died from a lack of oxygen to the brain. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe garda who met the accused at the apartment found him extremely calm and emotionless. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí travelled to Romania to meet the families of the deceased and the accused. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe is charged with murdering Ioana Mihaela Pacala, aged 30 (irishtimes.com)
- chargeAndrei Dobra, 36, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering Ioana Mihaela Pacala, 30. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on Monday (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity (irishtimes.com)
- courtConsultant psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright will testify for the prosecution (irishtimes.com)
- courtPsychiatrist Dr Patricia Casey will give evidence for the defence (irishtimes.com)
- courtA jury of six men and six women was sworn in to hear the trial (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is due to begin on Tuesday before Ms Justice Melanie Greally (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is expected to last up to five days (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe prosecution opened the trial on a Tuesday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury. (irishtimes.com)
- courtTwo psychiatrists called by the defence and prosecution will give evidence that the accused was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killing. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- otherDefence counsel told the jury the accused would admit to strangling his partner. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe defence says the accused was suffering from an irresistible compulsion or total absence of reason. (irishtimes.com)
- otherPsychiatrists called by the defence and prosecution will give evidence that the accused had a mental disorder at the time of the killing. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused told gardaí he felt like some monster he could not control. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe trial will continue on Friday before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury of six men and six women. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 3 Jul2024Murder accused felt ‘like some monster’ he couldn’t control, trial hears
Covers the Central Criminal Court trial, including Garda interview evidence, the accused's account of the killing, and the psychiatric evidence to be heard. No existing case in the list matches this trial.
accused, Andrei Dobra, 35, male, Romanian, named, non-irishAndrei Dobravictim, Ioana Mihaela Pacala, 30, female, Romanian, non-irishIoana Mihaela Pacala - 2 Jul2024Man had ‘blank, vacant and detached’ look when gardaí arrived to investigate partner’s death, court told
Reports the opening of the Central Criminal Court trial, including the defence's plea of not guilty by reason of insanity and evidence of the garda response and the pathologist's findings.
victim, Ioana Mihaela Pacala, 30, female, non-irish (judged from name)Ioana Mihaela Pacalaaccused, Andrei Dobra, 36, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Andrei Dobra - 1 Jul2024Man pleads not guilty to murdering fiancee in Co Meath by reason of insanity
Arraignment at the Central Criminal Court where Dobra entered a not guilty by reason of insanity plea. The trial is set to begin before Ms Justice Melanie Greally with psychiatric evidence from both sides expected to be central.
victim, Ioana Mihaela Pacala, 30, female, Romanian, non-irishIoana Mihaela Pacalaaccused, Andrei Dobra, 36, male, Romanian, named, non-irishAndrei Dobra