Courts

Man who strangled fiancée months before ‘special’ wedding committed to mental hospital

Andrei Dobra found not guilty of murdering Ioana Mihaela Pacala by reason of insanity

Andrei Dobra has been committed to hospital after being found not guilty of the murder of Ioana Mihaela Pacala by reason of insanity. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
Eoin Reynolds
Fri Jul 19 2024 - 15:14

A young woman who was planning a “special and unforgettable” wedding was strangled to death by the partner with whom she had hoped to build her future, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Andrei Dobra was on Friday committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Portrane after a jury earlier this month found him not guilty of murdering his fiancée Ioana Mihaela Pacala by reason of insanity.

Her father Gheorghe Gratian Pacala made a brief statement to the court in which he said her death had “deeply devastated us and shattered all the hopes of good and happiness that we, as parents, would have wanted for Ioana.”

The second of three daughters, he described her as a “gentle, quiet girl and respectful to all the people around her.”

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Mr Pacala said his daughter fell in love with Mr Dobra and “they wanted to build a future and a happy family for themselves.

“Their choice and their lives made us believe that there is a possibility that this dream of theirs will become a reality... The dream began to take shape, together they decided to buy a house, which they moved into together, they fixed the wedding date on June 10th, 2023 and prepared for the wedding event to be a special and unforgettable one.”

What happened on November 12th, when Mr Dobra killed Ioana, was “inexplicable,” he said. “There isn’t a day when we don’t think about Ioana, our hearts are torn by pain and longing for her.”

Mr Pacala said he, his wife Florentina and surviving daughters Estera and Lidia, are obliged to accept the verdict.

Noting cultural differences between Romania and Ireland, he said: “The term ‘innocent’ is a contradiction to the committed deed. Even if a person suffering mental problems commits a crime but lacks discernment, this does not mean that the person in question did not commit the crime and is not guilty of the crime.”

When people ask who killed his daughter, he said he does not know how to answer. “Was it the fate, the evil hour, the ghosts in Andrei’s head? Who?”

Mr Pacala said his family are devastated but he has no intention of taking revenge on Mr Dobra, adding: “I want him to get healthy and get home.”

Mr Dobra (36) had enjoyed a loving and devoted relationship with Ioana Mihaela Pacala and less than 24 hours before killing her, they were captured on CCTV holding hands as they did their weekly shopping.

Two consultant psychiatrists agreed that Mr Dobra developed psychotic delusions that caused him to believe Ms Pacala was a threat to him and when he strangled her to death, he did not know that his actions were wrong.

Mr Dobra, with an address at Riverwalk Court, Fairyhouse Road, Ratoath, Co Meath was not in court for Friday’s hearing but watched via videolink from the CMH.

Dr Patrick McLoughlin told Ms Justice Melanie Greally that since the trial ended, he has assessed and diagnosed Mr Dobra with schizo-affective disorder.

He said the disorder is a major mental illness with an associated serious risk of violence and is best catered for at the CMH. Ms Justice Greally ordered that Mr Dobra remain at the CMH for continuous treatment and assessment.