Caracal case: Romanian investigators find first victim’s remains in the woods

The prosecutors and policemen investigating the death of two girls in the southern Romania town of Caracal found human remains in a forest near the town on Monday, according to News.ro.

Gheorghe Dinca, a 65-year old mechanic from Caracal, confessed to killing the two girls. He directed the investigators to the forest where he threw the remains of his first victim, Luiza Melencu, an 18-year old girl who went missing in April. Dinca said he killed Luiza on the same day he kidnapped her, burned her body and then threw away her remains in a forest, according to DIICOT spokesperson Mihaela Porime, quoted by G4media.ro.

The investigators’ findings come just days after the forensic anthropology report and DNA test confirmed that the human bones found at the man’s home belonged to his second victim, 15-year old Alexandra Macesanu. Dinca reportedly told the investigators how he burned the girl’s body after he killed her on Thursday, July 25.

Alexandra Macesanu went missing on Wednesday, July 24. On Thursday morning, she called the emergency number 112 three times and asked for help saying that she had been kidnapped and raped. The police raided the suspect’s house only on Friday morning but they didn’t find Alexandra or her body. They held Gheorghe Dinca for questioning on charges of kidnapping but couldn’t charge him with murder because they had no clear evidence that he had killed the girl. They found, however, human bones and pieces of jewelry that belonged to Alexandra in a barrel.

While the investigators were waiting for the results of the analysis on the remains, Dinca confessed to killing the two girls on Sunday, July 28. However, the investigators didn’t immediately abandon the possibility that the two girls could still be alive, possibly subject to human trafficking.

The results of the DNA tests confirmed that Gheorghe Dinca indeed murdered Alexandra Macesanu and the human remains found on Monday likely belong to his other victim, Luiza Melencu. The investigators also continued searches at the man’s house looking for evidence about other possible victims.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Bogdan Danescu)