Romanian car mechanic charged with abducting and killing two teenage girls to stand trial

Gheorghe Dinca Caracal
Foto: Inquam Photos

Romania’s general prosecutor’s office says a mechanic will stand trial for the murder of two teenagers in a case that provoked widespread outrage and protests, and led to the dismissal of ministers and other officials.

Bogdan Licu, acting prosecutor general, said Wednesday that Gheorghe Dinca, 65, faces eight charges, including the killing Alexandra Macesanu, 15 and Luiza Melencu, 19, whom he is suspected of abducting before murdering them.

Dinca is also accused of trafficking minors, human trafficking ,  rape and abusing corpses.

Macesanu was abducted, beaten and murdered in late July in the southern town of Caracal.

There was an uproar over the way authorities handled the case, as it took 19 hours for the police to locate the victim by which time she had been killed.

Dinca also admitted to killing 18-year-old Luiza Melencu, who went missing in April 2019. He body has never been found.

He was arrested on July 27 and remains in detention.

Police officials and then-Interior Minister Nicolae Moga resigned over the case and the education minister at the time was fired after she made remarks suggesting Macesanu should not have hitched a ride with a stranger.

LĂSAȚI UN MESAJ

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here