A security guard with no history of violence or mental illness who strangled his fiancée to death during a psychotic episode has been found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.
Andrei 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 in Ratoath, Co Meath, had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering Ms Pacala in the home they shared on 12 November 2022.
A jury of six men and six women took one hour and 44 minutes to reach their unanimous verdict. Ms Justice Melanie Greally exempted them from further jury duty for five years.
"This case centres on the loss of a very young life that was full of promise," she told the jury. "So all our sympathies go to her family."
Ms Justice Greally remanded Mr Dobra to the National Forensic Mental Health Services Hospital in Portrane.
He will be assessed by an approved medical officer who will provide a report to the court on 19 July outlining whether Mr Dobra requires continuing treatment for his mental illness.
Before the jury began their deliberations, Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told them that Ms Pacala's death had been an "immense tragedy for her family, friends and everyone who knew her".
He reminded the jury of CCTV evidence showing Mr Dobra and Ms Pacala "holding hands in an affectionate and loving way" while carrying out the mundane business of shopping one day before the killing.
There is some mystery as to how the killing came to pass, Mr Guerin said, but Mr Dobra accepts that he strangled Ms Pacala to death. There is no suggestion that she threatened him or that there was a fight.
The evidence of two psychiatrists called by the defence and prosecution was that Mr Dobra was suffering from a mental disorder at the time.
They both came to the conclusion that due to his mental disorder, Mr Dobra had a delusional belief that he was under threat from Ms Pacala and therefore did not know that killing her was wrong.
Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC told the jury that Ms Pacala had lost her life without explanation or justification and not as a result of anything she had done.
The evidence the jury heard was of a couple who were devoted to one another and planning their lives together.
"Tragically, mental illness intervened," counsel said, "and labouring under a mental disorder he took Mihaela's life."
Ms Justice Greally told the jury there is no doubt that Mr Dobra's actions were responsible for his fiancée's death.
Dr Brenda Wright and Professor Patricia Casey agreed that Mr Dobra held a delusional belief that Ms Pacala posed some threat to him.
They found that he therefore did not understand that his actions in killing her were wrong and qualified for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
