The sister of a woman who the State alleges was murdered by her partner has described a suggestion by defence counsel that the witness may be “covering up” for her own husband being “involved” in the killing in some way as "nonsense".
The witness' husband also gave evidence to the Central Criminal Court, telling the trial that he "definitely" did not have "some involvement in a physical or violent struggle" with the victim and that it was "disgraceful" to suggest he had a previous sexual relationship with her.
The jury also heard on Tuesday that the accused tried to jump out of a moving car after he was told his partner was dead.
Daniel Blanaru (37), from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner Larisa Serban (26) at Rathmore, Co Meath on or about August 12th 2022.
The court heard evidence today from Marcus Cranus, the husband of the deceased woman’s sister, Narcisa Serban.
While on the stand giving evidence yesterday, Narcisa told defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, that she did not want to answer questions about whether she had a “sexual encounter” with the accused man before he started a relationship with her sister and whether Larisa had had a sexual interaction with Mr Cranus in the past.
Continuing her evidence today, Ms Serban denied a suggestion by Mr Ó Lideadha that she may be “covering up” for her husband Marcus being “involved” in the killing in some way. Ms Serban described the suggestion as “nonsense”.
He put it to the witness that Marcus had asked Daniel Blanaru if he had had sex with Narcisa and Mr Blanaru “admitted having sex with you”. “
"Please can you stop and don’t insult me,” Ms Serban replied. “I don’t want to comment.”
Under cross-examination today, Mr Cranus told Mr Ó Lideadha, through a Romanian interpreter, that he had not had a sexual relationship with Larisa Serban, describing the suggestion as “totally false”.
Mr Cranus also denied a suggestion that when he arrived at the property in Rathmore, he had carried out chest compressions even though Larisa Serban was “obviously dead” because he wanted an explanation for having “blood on his hands”.
Asked by Mr Ó Lideadha if it was possible that he had had: “some involvement in a physical or violent struggle with Larisa in the early hours of that morning”, Mr Cranus replied: “Definitely not”.
Mr Cranus told counsel that Daniel Blanaru’s brother Leon and his wife had been the first people on the scene, followed by the gardaí, before he and his wife Narcisa had arrived.
Asked whether, at a family meeting in the weeks before the incident, he had confirmed that it was true he did have sexual relations with Larisa a number of years beforehand, Mr Cranus said: “I don’t accept to insult my family, to make me like unfaithful. And she wasn’t either.
They had children, she was a person. She respected her family and she was a good girl. And myself too.”
“You suggest I had a sexual relationship with Larisa…that’s disgraceful. If it’s something like that you are pushed out of the community.”
In his direct evidence, Mr Cranus told Ms Brennan that on the morning in question, he was woken by his partner who was panicking and told him: “We have to go now”.
He said they drove to the scene in his company van.
Mr Cranus said he and Narcisa went into the house and when they got to Larisa, he checked her pulse and “tried to push her chest” to do “cardiac massage to the heart” because he was trained in first aid. However, he could feel she was “stiff”.
Also giving evidence on Tuesday, witness Simona Terezia Ciurar confirmed to prosecution counsel Eilis Brennan SC that her brother, Daniel Blanaru, had come to her house in the early hours of August 12th 2022. She said he told her he had had “an argument” with Larisa.
Asked by counsel if Mr Blanaru had indicated how the argument had ended or how Larisa was when he left the house, the witness said he had not.
She said she and her husband Raul and her brother Daniel then drove to a petrol station and bought phone credit. She said they called their brother Leon and told him to go to Larisa’s home to “check if she was okay or not”.
Ms Ciurar said Leon called back and said: ‘Larisa, she is dead”.
Asked what Mr Blanaru’s reaction was to this, the witness said: “Daniel didn’t believe it and he asked to show him”. She said the accused asked Leon’s wife, Adriana, to show him because Leon wasn’t able to talk anymore as he was crying.
Questioned by counsel as to what Mr Blanaru said when Adriana showed him, Ms Ciurar said she didn’t want to remember “that moment”.
She said the accused then tried to “jump out of the car” and Raul had to “put a hand on the door” to stop him as the car was driving.
The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury of eleven men and four women.
