A man who committed the murder of his sister-in-law has been sentenced to a minimum of 28 years following a Met investigation. Nicolae Virtosu (pictured above), aged 49 (born on December 19, 1973), residing on Princes Road, Ilford, faced sentencing at the Old Bailey on Monday, October 9th, for the killing of Svetlana Mihalachi.
At the same court, on July 21st, he had previously been convicted of murder and making a threat to kill. During the trial, it was revealed that Virtosu was Svetlana's brother-in-law, and they resided together in Ilford alongside her husband and 12-year-old son.
Their relationship was tumultuous, marked by arguments about household chores, noise, and finances. Svetlana had expressed her desire for Virtosu to move out, but he refused. As time passed, their relationship deteriorated further, with Virtosu making threats that left Svetlana fearing for her life.
In desperation, she reported Virtosu, an illegal immigrant in the UK, to the Home Office. On March 3, 2021, Svetlana called the police, requesting Virtosu's removal from their home, but she was fearful of him and reluctant to make a statement. Officers assured her they would report Virtosu to immigration services.
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| Svetlana Mihalachi, The Victim |
On April 9, 2021, at 14:08hrs, police received a call from the London Ambulance Service reporting an assault at the Princes Road residence. Upon arrival, officers discovered Svetlana with severe head injuries inflicted by blows from a hatchet found at the scene. Virtosu's fingerprints were found on the hatchet.
CCTV footage showed Virtosu leaving the house at 12:02hrs and sending a text message to Svetlana's husband, informing him of his wife's death when a call went unanswered. Upon returning home, Svetlana's husband found her with severe head and facial injuries. Despite life-saving efforts by paramedics and hospital staff, she sadly passed away on May 12, 2021.
A post-mortem examination determined that the cause of death was multi-organ failure resulting from head injuries and blood loss. Virtosu was arrested on suspicion of murder upon his return to the scene while emergency services were trying to save Svetlana.
Throughout the trial, Virtosu claimed to have been experiencing 'voices' and suffering from a psychotic disorder. He alleged that Svetlana appeared to him with devil-like shining red eyes, attempting to use this as a defense of diminished responsibility, but it did not convince the jury.
Detective Constable Rosamund Ellis, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, emphasized that Svetlana had lived under the constant threat of violence from Virtosu in the months leading up to her tragic death. Virtosu's actions were those of an angry and violent individual, not the result of delusions.
Svetlana was not just a victim but also a wife and mother, and her loss has left her loved ones deeply affected.
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