Ireland Case No. 1643Murder · Co. Dublin · 9 Dec 2022
Two men convicted of murder in Dublin
Mahamud Ilyas, a 22-year-old Somali man, was allegedly beaten to death on 9 December 2022 at a house in Verdemont, Blanchardstown, Dublin, after a row over a stolen bag of cannabis. His body was wrapped in a carpet and dumped in a wooded area near Belgree Lane, County Meath, where it was found on 10 December. Viorel Doroscan, 23, and Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, both from Romania, were charged with murder and pleaded not guilty. At the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict against both men after seven hours and 52 minutes of deliberation over four days. Co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, faces charges of impeding the prosecution, with the jury's deliberations on his case continuing.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court13 Feb
6 reports - Convicted20 May
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Mahamud Ilyas, a 22-year-old Somali man, was allegedly beaten to death after a row over a stolen bag of cannabis at a house in Verdemont, Blanchardstown, on 9 December 2022.
- Where
- His body was wrapped in a carpet and dumped in a wooded area near Belgree Lane, County Meath, where it was found on 10 December 2022.
- Cause
- The State pathologist found the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, with depressed fractures typical of hammer blows.
- Weapon
- A witness said Doroscan held a fruit knife and Clejan held a hammer while Ilyas was tied up and beaten.
- Charges
- Viorel Doroscan, 23, and Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, both from Romania, were charged with murder and pleaded not guilty.
- Co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, and Robert Burns, 59, face charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of the two principal offenders.
- In court
- The trial took place at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
- The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict against Doroscan and Clejan after seven hours and 52 minutes of deliberation over four days.
- Investigation
- The prosecution relied on CCTV footage, phone records, forensic evidence, a Snapchat video, and statements given by the accused to gardaí.
- Other details
- The defence case was that Doroscan and Clejan acted in self-defence after Ilyas came running into the apartment with a weapon.
- When
- Ilyas entered the house at Verdemont at about 2.41pm on 9 December 2022, and the Snapchat video metadata placed the clip at 2.51pm that day.
104 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo men were charged with murdering a 22-year-old man in Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe body was wrapped in a carpet. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMr Cantaragiu allegedly cleaned the BMW at a garage and sold it. (irishtimes.com)
- whatIt is alleged that Mr Burns tied the hands and feet of Mr Ilyas, carried him, and cleaned the house where the assault happened. (irishtimes.com)
- whatIt is alleged that Mr Cantaragiu drove the two murder accused and the deceased to Belgree Lane and cleaned the car. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe video showed a man lying face up with visible blood on his face and a large blood stain on the wall behind him. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe force was applied from a blunt object such as a hammer, blows, and kicks. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA house at Verdemont in Blanchardstown was being used to store cannabis on 8 December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWitness Vlady Ndosimau saw Ilyas sitting on the floor with blood from his nose, hands and feet tied with a rope or zip tie. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe video showed a man lying on the ground face up with visible blood on his face and a large blood stain on the wall behind him. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe shoe of the video-taker can be seen briefly in the clip. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe prosecution intended to show that Doroscan and Clejan were involved in the sale and supply of drugs. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOn December 8, 2022, a house at Verdemont in Blanchardstown was being used to store cannabis. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIlyas was seen leaving the house carrying a shopping bag containing cannabis. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWitness Vlady Ndosimau saw Ilyas sitting on the floor with blood from his nose, his hands and feet tied with a rope or zip tie. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDoroscan kept shouting 'where is the stuff' while Ilyas was groaning. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMr Ilyas was seen leaving the house carrying a shopping bag containing cannabis. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWitness Vlady Ndosimau saw Mr Ilyas sitting on the floor with blood from his nose, hands and feet tied, while Doroscan held a fruit knife and Clejan held a hammer. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMr Doroscan kept shouting 'where is the stuff' while Mr Ilyas was groaning. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMr Doroscan said they put Mr Ilyas in a car and drove to a field beside Hollystown where they left him. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMr Cantaragiu told gardaí he last saw Mr Ilyas headfirst in a ditch, breathing and gasping, and that he was shivering like chattering teeth in the car. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTwo men were found guilty of the murder of 22-year-old Mahamud Ilyas. (irishtimes.com)
- whatIlyas was beaten to death and dumped in a wooded area in County Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whatCantaragiu allegedly drove the two murder accused and the deceased to Belgree Lane and cleaned the car in which they travelled. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe prosecution contended Doroscan and Clejan were involved in the sale and supply of drugs. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWitness Vlady Ndosimau witnessed Ilyas sitting on the floor with blood from his nose, hands and feet tied, while Doroscan held a fruit knife and Clejan held a hammer. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe body was found in a field in Kilbride, near the Meath-Dublin border. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe deceased lived in the west Dublin area with his family. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe body was dumped in a wooded area in Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe body was driven to Belgree Lane in Meath where it was carried to a wooded area. (irishtimes.com)
- whereViorel Doroscan, 23, is of Bay Meadows Square, Hollystown, West Dublin. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whereOtniel Richardo Clejan, 24, has a former address at Verdemont in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whereMr Doroscan is of Bay Meadows Square, Hollystown, West Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereMr Clejan has a former address at Verdemont in Blanchardstown in Dublin 15. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereOn December 8, 2022, a house at Verdemont in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 was being used to store cannabis. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereDoroscan is of Bay Meadows Square, Hollystown, West Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereClejan has a former address at Verdemont in Blanchardstown in Dublin 15. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe body was found on 10 December. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe murder occurred on 9 December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenMr Ilyas entered the house at Verdemont at about 2.41pm on 9 December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenMr Clejan contacted Lorenzo Cantaragiu at about 3.20pm on 9 December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenGardaí were notified of the body at Belgree Lane the day after the murder. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe video's metadata showed it was taken at 2.51pm on 9 December 2022 in the Verdemont estate in Blanchardstown. (rte.ie)
- whenMetadata confirmed the clip was taken at 2.51pm on 9 December 2022 in the area of the Verdemont estate in Blanchardstown. (irishtimes.com)
- whenIlyas went into the house at Verdemont at about 2.41pm on 9 December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenMetadata provided by Snapchat said the clip was taken at 2:51pm on December 9, 2022 in the area of the Verdemont estate in Blanchardstown. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenIlyas went into the house at Verdemont at about 2:41pm on December 9, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe accused pleaded not guilty to the murder on December 9, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenMr Ilyas went into the house at Verdemont at about 2.41pm the following afternoon. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeA stolen bag of cannabis was the trigger for the murder. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe pathologist found blunt force trauma to the head causing traumatic brain injury. (irishtimes.com)
- causeMahamud Ilyas was allegedly beaten to death after a row over a stolen bag of cannabis. (rte.ie)
- causeMr Ilyas had depressed fractures to his head that a State pathologist said were typical of hammer blows. (rte.ie)
- causeIlyas was allegedly beaten to death after a row over a stolen bag of cannabis. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- causeAssistant State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe application of force to the head was from a blunt object such as a hammer, blows, and kicks. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeMr Ilyas died from blunt force trauma to the head. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe pathologist said the depressed fractures to his head were typical of hammer blows. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe murder followed a row over a stolen bag of cannabis. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe 22-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the head. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponDoroscan held a fruit knife while Clejan stood close to Ilyas's head with a hammer in his hand. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested two men and detained them at Blanchardstown Garda Station under Section four of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThey were the third and fourth males arrested as part of the investigation into the death of Ilyas. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationTwo other men were released pending a file to the DPP in December. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe prosecution relies on CCTV footage, phone records, forensic evidence and statements given by the accused to gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe jury viewed a Snapchat video allegedly showing the victim lying bloodied on the ground. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA detective said shoes worn by Mr Doroscan on CCTV visually matched those in the video. (rte.ie)
- chargeViorel Doroscan, 21, of Bay Meadows, Hollystown, D. 15, was charged with murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeOtniel Richardo Clejan, 21, from Verdemont, Blanchardstown, was charged with murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMr Burns is charged with six counts of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Clejan and Doroscan. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeMr Cantaragiu faces four charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the two principal offenders. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeViorel Doroscan and Otniel Richardo Clejan pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mahamud Ilyas on 9 December 2022. (rte.ie)
- chargeLorenzo Cantaragiu faces charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Mr Clejan and Mr Doroscan. (rte.ie)
- chargeBoth men pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mahamud Ilyas on 9 December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeBoth men pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mahamud Ilyas on December 9, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeLorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, of Castlegrange Park, Blanchardstown, faces charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Clejan and Doroscan. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMr Cantaragiu faces charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Clejan and Doroscan. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeCantaragiu faces charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Clejan and Doroscan. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThey were remanded in custody following a district court hearing on January 6. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThey were granted bail with conditions in the High Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThey appeared before Judge Cephas Power at Cloverhill District Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThey were ordered to appear again at Blanchardstown District Court in May for directions from the DPP. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt at the Central Criminal Court with a jury of five women and seven men. (irishtimes.com)
- courtCantaragiu has pleaded not guilty to all counts. (rte.ie)
- courtThe trial is taking place at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. (rte.ie)
- courtThe trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- courtTrial judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt briefed the jury before they watched the video. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe jury of seven men and five women deliberated for seven hours and 52 minutes over four days. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury returned a unanimous verdict against Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24). (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury will continue deliberations in relation to co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu (21) on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtCantaragiu has pleaded not guilty to all charges. (irishtimes.com)
- courtBoth pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ilyas on December 9, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe deceased was originally from Somalia. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe defendants were originally from Romania. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe defendants were granted legal aid. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe defendants had not yet indicated a plea. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherClejan made no reply to gardaí when charged. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe co-defendant responded "No, Miss" when charged. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAll four accused deny the charges. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA witness said Mr Doroscan told him "we hit Mo with a hammer" during a fight. (rte.ie)
- otherMr Clejan told gardaí he defended himself by once striking and pushing Mr Ilyas away and did not stand over him with a hammer. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe defence case was that the two men acted in self-defence after Ilyas came running into an apartment with a weapon. (irishtimes.com)
- otherCantaragiu told gardaí that Doroscan and Clejan had threatened to kill him and he saw no way to escape. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 20 May2025Two men convicted of murdering Mahamud Ilyas after row over stolen bag of cannabis
Jury returned unanimous guilty verdict after 7 hours 52 minutes of deliberation over four days; co-accused Cantaragiu's deliberations continue on Friday.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, 22, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasconvicted, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanconvicted, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu - 30 Apr2025Murder accused told gardaí that man beaten to death had threatened to kill them
Trial day report: jury hears gardaí interview transcripts from all three accused, pathologist evidence on cause of death, and witness Vlady Ndosimau's account of finding Ilyas tied up and beaten. Trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, 22, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasaccused, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanaccused, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu - 28 Apr2025Murder jury view Snapchat video allegedly showing victim bloodied on the ground
New evidence presented: Snapchat video from Doroscan's account showing the victim bloodied on the ground, pathologist's findings on cause of death (blunt force trauma from hammer/blows/kicks), witness testimony that Doroscan said 'we hit Mo with a hammer', and the prosecution's case that the killing followed a dispute over a stolen bag of cannabis stored at a Verdemont house.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasaccused, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanaccused, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu - 28 Apr2025Jury in the trial of two men accused of murder shown Snapchat video alleged to show bloodied victim
Adds details of the Snapchat video shown to the jury, the pathologist's findings on cause of death, witness testimony about the beating at the Verdemont house, the prosecution's case on the stolen cannabis, and the co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu's impeding prosecution charges.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasaccused, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanaccused, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu - 28 Apr2025Murder trial jury watches video allegedly showing victim
Mid-trial report: the jury viewed a Snapchat video allegedly showing the victim, a detective said shoes in CCTV visually matched those in the clip, and the video's metadata placed it at Verdemont at 2.51pm on 9 December 2022. Cantaragiu's charges and not-guilty pleas are also reported.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasaccused, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanaccused, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu - 19 Mar2025Stolen bag of cannabis led to man (22) being beaten to death, court told
Prosecution opening statement at the Central Criminal Court trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, outlining the case against four men in connection with the murder of Mahamud Ilyas and the disposal of his body in Co Meath.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, 22, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasaccused, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanaccused, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Robert Burns, 59, male, named, irish (judged from name)Robert Burnsaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu - 13 Feb2023Two men charged over murder of man found wrapped in carpet granted bail
Confirms bail was granted with conditions in the High Court after remand from a January 6 district court hearing; both defendants appeared before Judge Cephas Power at Cloverhill District Court and were ordered to return to Blanchardstown District Court in May for DPP directions. Adds that the deceased was originally from Somalia, that the body was found in Kilbride near the Meath-Dublin border on 10 December, and that the two men were the third and fourth arrested in the investigation, with two others released pending a DPP file in December.
victim, Mahamud Ilyas, 22, male, Somali, non-irishMahamud Ilyasaccused, Viorel Doroscan, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanaccused, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejan