In a tragic incident, a young woman from Brazil, Bruna Fonseca, was found dead in an apartment in Cork city center on January 1, 2023. The court heard that the victim, a 28-year-old university graduate, had moved to Ireland in 2022 seeking a better life. Her ex-boyfriend, Miller Pacheco, 31, who also relocated to Ireland, has denied the charge of murdering her.
Bruna and Pacheco, who were originally from the same small town in Brazil, had ended their relationship, with Bruna seemingly moving forward with her life. Upon her arrival in Ireland in September 2022, Bruna began working as a cleaner at Mercy University Hospital, whereas Pacheco found employment at a restaurant in McCurtain Street city.
Despite Bruna being in a new relationship, she and Pacheco still had interactions, with Pacheco sending numerous text messages to her. By December 20, 2022, Bruna had expressed her desire for Pacheco to leave her alone.
On the night of the incident, after attending a Christmas Eve party and a New Year’s event together, Bruna went to Pacheco’s flat around 3 am to make a FaceTime call. Approximately ninety minutes later, screams were heard by nearby residents, described as loud and chaotic, with no intelligible words.
Evidence presented in court included a phone call made by Pacheco at 5:15 am on January 1, 2023, in which he made a disturbing statement to a friend. Subsequently, when asked about Bruna’s whereabouts, Pacheco showed the lifeless body of a woman lying on the bed beside him.
Police were alerted, but initially, no one answered the door at the flat. Later, when two friends of the victim arrived at the scene, Pacheco was seen holding a bed sheet, which he then disposed of in a bin. Despite initial denials, Pacheco later admitted to engaging in a physical altercation with Bruna that resulted in her death.
Pacheco claimed that the fatal incident occurred during a struggle between them, where he attempted to restrain Bruna. However, a post-mortem examination confirmed that Bruna’s cause of death was asphyxiation. As the trial continues, Pacheco, an engineer from Brazil, is receiving court assistance through a Portuguese interpreter, while members of Bruna’s family have traveled to Ireland for the legal proceedings.
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