An Edmonton man who killed his wife will receive a life sentence with no chance of parole for 13 years

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Warning: This story contains disturbing details.

An Edmonton man who beat his wife to death in a delusional state has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years.

Vasile Roman sat in the prisoner’s box in an Edmonton courtroom on Wednesday as Court of King’s Bench Judge James Neilson recounted the “terrible” violence he inflicted on Daniela Roman, who was found by police in a pool of blood in the basement of the parental home on December 15. , 2022.

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Roman admitted he attacked Daniela, 51, with a hammer because he believed she was cheating on him.

A psychologist who assessed Roman concluded that his beliefs were “never based on objective reality,” but he nevertheless understood the wrongfulness of his actions and was fit to stand trial.

The couple had two sons, now in their 20s, who wrote victim impact statements describing the devastation caused by their mother’s murder.

One, who works as a wedding photographer, said he cries behind the camera during every mother-and-son dance.

“He will never be able to thank her for the way she raised him,” Neilson said.

Roman, who was 54 at the time of his arrest, was from Romania and worked as a truck driver. The court heard from multiple sources that he was a longtime alcoholic with a history of abuse and delusions. In an agreed statement of facts, he admitted that he had been physically and verbally abusive to his mother as a child and that he had long displayed extreme jealousy when it came to Daniela.

Daniela trained as a mechanical engineer in Romania before moving to Canada in 2008 “to give her boys a better life and more opportunities,” according to an obituary.

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Daniela’s mother at home during murder

Roman called the police the day of the murder and “Calmly” told the 911 operator that he had killed his wife with a hammer, according to the agreed facts. Daniela’s mother was home during the murder and was confused when she heard screams from the bedroom. When she encountered Roman, he was in a “light, cheerful mood.”

Daniela lay dead on the basement floor. Her injuries included a dislocated pelvis, fractures to her ribs and forearms and severe damage to several internal organs. Her hands were covered in “defensive” wounds, indicating she was fighting back.

Roman told police he killed Daniela because of her alleged infidelity, and said he installed cameras around the house that captured evidence of his claims. However, when police searched the house, they found no cameras and no evidence was presented to the court.

The couple’s sons said their father had a history of violence driven by paranoid thinking. They said Roman attacked their mother in 2014 and also tried to drown her in a bathtub. When one of them pressed him for proof of his claims of infidelity, Roman responded, “He doesn’t need to show proof because God sees it all,” Neilson said.

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Following his arrest, Roman was charged with second-degree murder and held in custody. He pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year. The psychologist who assessed him said that his delusions “can be classified as a form of schizophrenia,” Neilson said, “but not to the point where it ever affects his daily functioning” or his criminal responsibility.

‘Emotionally ruined’

Crown prosecutor Euan Gilmour sought the mandatory life sentence with 14 years of parole, while defense lawyer Darin Sprake asked whether his client could apply for parole after 12 years.

Neilson sat down between the two. He called the crime “brutal and merciless” and said it was aggravating that Roman killed his wife in a place where she was allowed to feel safe, within earshot of her own mother.

Mitigating was the fact that Roman reported the murder to the police and pleaded guilty, saving the court time and avoiding witnesses having to testify. Roman previously apologized to his sons in court but declined the chance to speak on Wednesday.

Both sons said they had sleepless nights, anxiety and guilt over the loss of their mother. Both lost their homes in the aftermath of her murder and “had to start from scratch,” the elder said. They continue to care for their grandmother, who he described as “emotionally ruined.”

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Being eligible for parole does not mean someone will ever be released, and Roman will remain under the supervision of the Parole Board of Canada for the rest of his life.

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