Migrant murderer, 59, who committed almost identical knife killing after moving to UK is jailed for life

NewsUK News A TWISTED migrant murderer who committed an almost identical knife killing after moving to the UK has been jailed. Eugeniu Neamtu was found jailed in Romania in 2007 of murdering his housemate Adrian Vas by stabbing him in the chest. Eugeniu Neamtu knifed his housemates to death Credit: PA He tried to hide the murder weapon Credit: PA The 59-year-old was freed in 2023 and moved to London where he fatally stabbed flatmate Gheorghe Trica in the chest on February 20 in what a prosecutor said were “strikingly similar” circumstances. In both cases, Neamtu had rowed with his victims over money and used a similar knife to slaughter his housemates. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! He has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 27 years. Jurors at the Old Bailey were not told Neamtu was previously convicted of murder in Romania after a judge ruled it was too prejudicial. His grisly past only emerged two days ago when the double killer was found guilty of murdering Gheorghe, 63. Philip Evans KC, prosecuting, said: “In both cases the defendant was involved in a drunken argument with an associate over money. In both cases he took up a knife from within the home. “In both cases he stabbed the other man in the chest. In both cases he later claimed that he acted in self‑defence.” The court heard Neamtu had been drinking plum brandy with Adrian when they rowed over rent and work at their shared home in Romania in August 2006. Most read in The Sun Neamtu previously killed another housmate in his native Romania Credit: PA Gheorghe was killed in ‘strikingly similar’ circumstances Credit: PA He grabbed a knife before stabbing Adrian several times in the chest but claimed he acted in self-defence. The migrant was jailed for 15 years in Romania then came to Britain as a visitor in September 2023. He failed to declare his previous conviction or his intention to work to UK authorities and was therefore not in the country lawfully at the time of the killing in 2026. The court heard Gheorghe was heard shouting “give me back those £5” before he too was stabbed in the chest by Neamtu. A bystander shouted out: “Oh my God, he has cut Trica”. Gheorghe was later found collapsed in a pool of blood on a communal balcony outside the front door of the flat. Neamtu attempted to hide the murder weapon – a black-handled steak knife – by hurling it into a garden. Detective Inspector Jonathan Potter, who led the investigation, said: “Gheorghe’s death was a tragic and unnecessary loss of life, and our thoughts remain with his family and friends. “Eugeniu Neamtu is a dangerous offender who demonstrated a willingness to use extreme violence during a petty dispute. The jury heard overwhelming evidence of his actions. “This conviction ensures a dangerous individual has been removed from our communities. We hope today’s verdict offers a sense of justice for Gheorghe Trica’s loved ones.”