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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Paul Healy & Michelle Cullen

Man, 30s, charged in relation to the death of Iona Mihaela Pacala at her apartment in Ratoath

A man aged in his 30s has been charged in relation to the death of 30-year-old Iona Mihaela Pacala at an apartment in Ratoath, Co Meath, on Saturday.

Ioana, 30, who is originally from Romania, was discovered dead in her bed in an apartment in Riverwalk Court.

The man will appear before Trim District Court in Meath on Monday morning.

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A garda spokesperson said: "Investigations are ongoing."

It is understood that gardai were investigating whether she was murdered by a man known to her, who last night remained under arrest over her death and has since been charged.

Ioana and her partner had only just moved into the first-floor apartment last weekend, according to locals.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Ioana's grieving sister Tocoian Estera said she and her family are going through hell.

"You must realise it's very hard right now," she said.

"We still don't know exactly what happened."

But she said she wanted to pay tribute to her sister, passing on a photo of her to this paper and describing her as a person who was full of life.

"She was such a cheerful and optimistic person," she said.

Ms Estera said her sister worked in security and had been living in Ireland for the past three years.

In a social media post, she added: "Smooth road to heaven, my beautiful sister, you left behind a huge pain."

Her friend Roxana Devan also paid tribute on social media, writing: "Oh good soul. You left among the living, and we can't stop crying."

Speaking at the scene, local Councillor Gillian Toole said: "No more than everybody it was shock to actually see the message that residents sent me last night, and extreme sadness that a young person's life with so much potential can come to such an abrupt end.

"I think we have to no more than the extreme sadness for this lady and her family but also neighbours here in River Wood and how they must be feeling.

"I have to say I didn't know the couple and I just heard they only recently moved in in the last week or two.

"Why do things like this happen. This year just seems to be off the scale for violence.

"It's just incomprehensible but I think we have to ask why."

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