Murder trial hears Andrei Dobra’s account of fiancée’s death

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

Andrei Dobra pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering his fiancée, Ioana Mihaela Pacala. He was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court on 1 July 2024.

The charge concerns Ms Pacala’s death at the couple’s flat in Ratoath, Co Meath, on or about 12 November 2022. The proceedings were reported on 3 July 2024.

Detective Sergeant Shane Dervan told the trial on 3 July that Mr Dobra said in a garda interview that he thought he had squeezed his girlfriend’s neck. The detective also described Mr Dobra’s account of dreams in which someone came to kill him and his belief that somebody had pushed him to act.

Det Sgt Dervan confirmed to defence counsel that the couple had been committed to each other and that there was no suggestion of domestic violence in their background. He said Ms Pacala’s father had spoken to Mr Dobra the night before her death and found him incoherent.

At the beginning of the trial, prosecution counsel Seán Guerin told the jury they would hear psychiatric evidence that Mr Dobra had a mental disorder at the time of the killing. He said the psychiatrists would give different diagnoses but agreed that the disorder diminished his mental capacities.

The trial was continuing before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.

This case may have concluded differently. The outcome has not yet been confirmed by a public source we could find.