Mother Murdered Just 16 Days After Warning Police About Ex-Husband's Threats
A mother who warned police she feared it was "very likely" her estranged husband would seriously harm her was stabbed to death just 16 days later, with a damning review concluding authorities failed to properly assess the danger she faced.
Police Deemed Threats 'Medium Risk' Despite Explicit Warnings
Ramona Stoia, 35, told Kent Police officers that her ex-partner Catalin Micu, 54, had previously threatened to "cut her head off" if he were ever arrested or if she began a relationship with anyone else. Despite these explicit threats and her detailed accounts of physical and sexual abuse spanning several years, police assessed her as being at only "medium" risk.
The Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) examining her April 2022 murder at GothInk Studio in Canterbury, where both worked, concluded that "the risks to Ramona were not considered seriously enough" by police in the lead-up to her killing.
Brother Questions Police Assessment and Response
Ramona's brother, Cezar Stoia, who now has custody of her teenage son, expressed outrage at the police response. "My sister foresaw her murder, but the police couldn't?" he questioned. "He threatened to cut her head off. How is that medium risk? This is a high-risk situation. This is totally unacceptable."
The couple, who had a son together, ended their 16-year relationship in May 2021, though they continued living together. Ramona secured a non-molestation order against Micu in February 2022, but he breached it just a month later by entering her bedroom while she slept and sexually assaulting her.
Systemic Failures in Risk Assessment Process
During a Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (DARA), Ramona stated she was "very frightened" of Micu and believed it was "very likely" he would seriously harm her. The DHR noted that officers failed to recognize the threats Micu made during their relationship as indicators of a high-risk situation and didn't properly account for the wider context of his coercive and controlling behavior.
The report highlighted how officers missed the "sudden shift in power" once Ramona reported the abuse and didn't consider how Micu might react to being arrested. It concluded that a follow-up risk assessment "might have raised the risk to high" but suggested this likely wouldn't have changed the tragic outcome given the rapid timeline of events.
Bail Conditions Left Victim Vulnerable
Despite being arrested for physical and sexual offences and released on bail with conditions forbidding contact with Ramona, Micu was not prohibited from visiting the tattoo studio where they both worked. Ramona had initially volunteered to stay away from the business so Micu could continue "earning money again for the family" but had returned to work by the time of her death.
The DHR pointed out this arrangement may have been a sign of economic abuse, as Ramona had previously told police Micu controlled her access to money. Cezar questioned why police hadn't banned Micu from the workplace, saying the arrangement left his sister in an impossible position as "a mum who needed money."
Final Violent Confrontation
Just 16 days after his arrest and while still on police bail, Micu entered Ramona's treatment room at GothInk Studio and stabbed her several times in the neck while saying "Was it worth it, Ramona?" He then killed himself.
Shortly before calling police, Ramona had tried to make it clear to Micu their relationship was over by telling him she had been intimate with another man—something she later said was untrue.
Police Response and Family's Continuing Quest for Answers
When questioned about Micu's bail conditions, Kent Police said Ramona's death was "the result of a rapid escalation of violence by Mr. Micu that nobody could have foreseen."
Detective Superintendent David Higham responded to the DHR findings, stating: "Domestic abuse risk assessment is not a single decision but a continuing and dynamic process. We regret that on this occasion it was not as robust as it should have been, and we recognize the further anguish this has caused Ramona's family."
He noted that officers now receive enhanced training about recognizing coercive control and the heightened risks after the end of an abusive relationship, while emphasizing that "ultimately, there is only one person responsible for Ramona's death: Catalin Micu."
Cezar strongly disputes the suggestion that raising the risk assessment to "high" wouldn't have changed the outcome. "How can they conclude that even if they raised it to 'high,' they could not protect her because it happened too quickly?" he asked. "This is like them saying: 'Sorry, we couldn't do anything.' This is exactly what I thought had happened: they overlooked the details and they did not protect my sister."
The grieving brother added: "I want answers from the police, and I would like them to take responsibility. If you do a tick-box exercise, people are put at risk, and my sister is a perfect example of this. People lose their lives when you don't protect them properly."
