Romulus Veres
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- Romania
- Location
- Cluj County, Romania
- Date of birth
- January 23, 1929
- Age at first offence
- 43
- Characteristics
- rape
- Victim profile
- Cornelia Vaida / Maria Mărgineanu / Ana Valentina Florea , 8 / Aurelia Ciulea / Szilagy Emma Ilona, 68
- Method of murder
- Hitting with a hammer - St abbing with knife - Suffocation
- Date(s) of murder
- September 11, 1972 - February 14, 1974
- Years active
- 1972–1974
- Date of arrest
- February 1974
- Status
-
Died in custody
Found not guilty because of mental illness; transferred to psychiatric hospital on February 3, 1976; died on December 13, 1993
Background
Romulus Vereş was a serial killer known as “the man with the hammer”.
He was born in Cluj on January 23, 1929 and died in Ştei on December 13, 1993.
During the 1970s, he was charged with five murders and several attempted murders. He was never imprisoned on grounds of insanity. He suffered from schizophrenia and blamed the Devil for his actions.
He was institutionalised in the Ştei psychiatric facility.
Investigation
A three year long forensic investigation took place during which four thousand people were questioned.
Trial
Romulus Vereş was found not guilty because of mental illness.
Outcome
He was transferred to a psychiatric hospital on February 3, 1976.
Urban myths later brought the number of victims up to two hundred women, though the actual number was much smaller. This confusion was explained by the lack of attention this case received in the Communist press of the time.
Aftermath
Romulus Vereş died on December 13, 1993.
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