29.08.2012
PRESS RELEASE
The Public Information and Press Relations Bureau within the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice is authorized to bring to public knowledge the following:
Following the investigations in the cause known by the media as “ the killed Japanese student“, the prosecutors from the Section of criminal prosecution and criminalistics within the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, have ordered on 29.08.2012, the changing of judicial appraisal of the deeds retained and the extension of the investigations against the defendant VLAD NICOLAE.
Thus, from the investigations carried out by now resulted that the Prosecutor’s Office attached to Tribunal Ilfov ordered the beginning of criminal prosecution and the initiating of the criminal process against the defendant (in pretrial arrest in another cause) VLAD NICOLAE, for committing the offence of first degree murder, in the normative modality foreseen by art. 174 Criminal Code in connection with art. 175 lett. i) Criminal Code, this file, together with other six files being taken over by the Section for criminal prosecution and criminalities within the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice.
In fact, it was retained that in the evening of 15 August 2012, on the territory of the commune Corbeanca, Ilfov county, in a forest area, in the close vicinity of a public road (DN1), the defendant VLAD NICOLAE has killed the named M.Y. (Japanese citizen), the cause of the death of the victim being the mechanical asphyxia by cervical-thoracic compression .
Also, according to the evidence brought into the cause by the prosecutors of the Section for criminal prosecution and criminalistics up to this moment of the criminal investigation, it resulted that the defendant VLAD NICOLAE, using violence against the victim, dispossessed her of several items (a laptop, a mobile phone and a photo camera), existing strong indices regarding the committing by him of the offence of robbery and he has had sexual intercourse with the victim by force, existing strong indices concerning the committing by him of the offence of rape.
The deeds of the night of 05/06 august 2012 victim S.T.
Based on the evidence brought into the cause, there were outlined strong indices that before committing these deeds, the defendant VLAD NICOLAE has committed another offence of murder (in the night of 05/06 August 2012) in the locality Balotesti, against the victim S.T.).
In this cause it was retained that on 06 august 2012, the victim S.T. was found dead in her home in the locality Balotesti, Ilfov county, presenting traces of a sexual aggression. Following up the autopsy, it was established that the death was caused by mechanical asphyxia, by cervical - thoracic compression.
From the investigation acts carried out in the cause, resulted strong indices regarding the fact that the author of the aggression in the night of 05/06 August 2012, which led to the death of the named S.T., is the defendant VLAD NICOLAE, existing strong indices regarding the committing, by him, of first degree murder, because he broke and remained unlawfully in the home of the victim and had sexual intercourse, by force, with her.
The deeds of the night of 25/26 February 2011, victim N.L.
The evidence brought into the cause up to this moment of the criminal prosecution, revealed that in the night of 25/26 Fe4bruary 2011, around 23,00 hours, an unidentified person broke without right into the home of the victim N.L. from the Ilfov county, after which – by exercising violence against her – dispossessed her of several items (an amount of money and a mobile phone) and has had sexual intercourse by force with her; also, it was retained that he tied her hands and feet, depriving her of freedom.
From the evidence brought into the cause resulted that there exist strong indices regarding the fact that the author of the above described offences is the defendant VLAD NICOLAE.
The deeds from the night of 28/29 April 2012, injured party M.M.
According to the evidences brought into the cause, it was retained that on 29 April 2012, around 03.00, VLAD NICOLAE broke without right into the home of the victim M.M. from the locality of Ilfov county, after which – by exercising violence against her – he has dispossessed her by a mobile phone.
The deeds committed during May – august 2010 , injured party P.S.
Factually, it was retained that in the period May – August 2010, the named VLAD NICOLAE has repeatedly broke without right, into the home of the victim P.S. form the locality in the Ilfov county, after which – by exercising violence against her – has had sexual intercourse with her, (the injured party did not file a prior complaint, so that there exists a cause hindering the initiating of the criminal action for the offence of rape), in relation with this cause being carried out investigations for the offence of trespassing.
Deeds committed on 24 February 2012, victim S.M.
Factually, it was retained that on 24 February 2012, around 21.30, an unidentified person broke without right into the home of the victim S.M. from Bucharest, after which – by exercising violence against her – dispossessed her by several items (money and jewels) and forced her to have sexual intercourse.
Acts committed on March 1, 2012. Victim: A.A.
It was held that, on March 1, 2012, around 8:00 PM, an unidentified individual broke into victim A.A.’s house in Bucharest and used violence to rob her of several goods (money and food) and to force her into having sex with him.
Considering the above, prosecutors from the Criminal Investigation and Criminalistics Section within the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice ordered that:
The legal classification of the homicide the defendant VLAD NICOLAE was found guilty of be changed from first degree murder as provided by Article 174 of the Criminal Code referred to Article 175 (1) (i) of the Criminal Code, to first degree murder and very serious murder as provided by Article 174 of the Criminal Code referred to Article 175 (1) (i) and (h) of the Criminal Code and Article 176 (1) (c) and (d) of the Criminal Code (for the act committed on August 15, 2012 - victim M.Y.).
The criminal inquiry be expanded, the criminal investigation be instituted, and the criminal prosecution be launched against the defendant VLAD NICOLAE, as follows:
- For first degree murder and very serious murder as provided by Article 174 of the Criminal Code referred to Article 175 (1) (i) and (h) of the Criminal Code and Article 176 (1) (c) and (d) of the Criminal Code, for robbery as provided by Article 211 (1) and (2) (b) and (c) of the Criminal Code, and for rape as provided by Article 197 (1) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed on August 15, 2012 – victim M.Y.);
- For first degree murder as provided by Article 174 of the Criminal Code referred to Article 175 (1) (h) of the Criminal Code, for rape as provided by Article 197 (1) of the Criminal Code, and for break-in as provided by Article 192 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed on the night of August 5/6, 2012 – victim S.T.);
- For rape as provided by Article 197 (1) of the Criminal Code, for rape as provided by Article 211 (1), (2) (b), and (21) (b) and (c) of the Criminal Code, for illegal deprivation of liberty as provided by Article 189 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code, and break-in as provided by Article 192 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed on February 25, 2011 – victim N.L.);
- For robbery as provided by Article 211 (1) and (2) (b) and (21) (c) of the Criminal Code, and for break-in as provided by Article 192 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed on the night of April 28/29, 2012 – victim M.M.);
- For break-in, continued offence, as provided by Article 192 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code corroborated with Article 41 (2) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed between May – August 2012 – victim P.S.);
- For rape as provided by Article 197 (1) of the Criminal Code, for robbery as provided by Article 211 (1), (2) (b), and (21) (c) of the Criminal Code, and for break-in as provided by Article 192 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed on February 24, 2012 – victim – S.M.);
- For rape as provided by Article 197 (1) of the Criminal Code, for robbery as provided by Article 211 (1), (2) (b), and (21) (c) of the Criminal Code, for illegal deprivation of liberty as provided by Article 189 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code, and for break-in as provided by Article 192 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (for the acts committed on March 1, 2012 – victim A.A.).
A medico-legal psychiatric assessment, mandatory under the legal provisions in case of very serious murder, was ordered by the prosecutors from the Criminal Investigation and Criminalistics Section. In the next few days, the defendant will consequently be hospitalized in a specialized medical unit to be submitted to this medical assessment.
Several persons have been heard and the results of the DNA tests (three such tests have been ordered) will be communicated next week.
Today, August 29, 2012, the defendant exercised his right to remain silent.
We will keep the public informed on the progress of the investigation.