Rafal Karaczyn sentenced to life for murdering wife

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

Rafal Karaczyn was found guilty of murdering his wife and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court, reported on 19 May 2021. The killing happened at the couple’s home in Sligo on 29 April 2018.

The jury found Karaczyn guilty by 10 votes to one after he denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He had claimed his wife provoked him and that he lost control.

Natalia Karaczyn’s sister said the death had profoundly affected the family and that Natalia’s youngest child did not know who his mother was.

The trial heard that Natalia had wanted to separate from Karaczyn and asked him to leave their home. Her cause of death was asphyxia caused by pressure to the neck.