Daniel Blanaru jailed for murdering Larisa Serban

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Daniel Blanaru was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his partner, Larisa Serban. He had pleaded not guilty to murdering her at their home in Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, on or about 12 August 2022.

On 1 April 2025, a jury convicted Blanaru after a seven-week trial. Jurors accepted the prosecution case that Serban died following a sustained and brutal attack by her controlling and jealous partner.

The trial heard that Serban sustained two stab wounds, including a fatal wound to her chest, and that her blood was found on Blanaru’s clothing. In his final garda interview, Blanaru said: “I am guilty, I killed her. Please lock me up.”

Blanaru had also told gardaí that Serban came at him with a knife during a struggle and that it accidentally went into her. He claimed he was trying to protect himself and, in his defence, said someone else had possibly killed her.

At sentencing, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said she had to impose the mandatory life sentence for a crime committed with needless and horrific violence. She said the sentence could be backdated to when Blanaru went into custody.