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A jealous man who stabbed his ex-wife to death after seeing her blow a kiss to her lover in a TikTok video has been jailed for at least 18 years.
Stony Stoica, 44, and his former wife Beatrice Cenusa, 36, got married in Romania in 2009 but they divorced 10 years later due to his gambling addiction.
On July 21, 2021, Cenusa, a TikTok user with more than 17,000 followers, posted a video of her lip-syncing a song with Claudiu Miteatu in which they blew a kiss to each other at the end.
According to the Inner London Crown Court, Stoica flew into a rage when he saw it and demanded she delete the video.
Two days later, he appeared at her home in East Dulwich, southeast London, and plunged a knife into her chest while their nine-year-old daughter was in the next room.
Prosecuting lawyer, Jocelyn Ledward, told jurors:
‘There was long-standing sexual jealousy.
‘He had refused to allow his ex-wife to engage in relationships without his permission, threatening to kill her if she did such a thing.
‘She said she wasn’t interested in the relationship any longer and wanted her own romantic life.
‘When it was clear she had moved on and started a relationship with another man the defendant killed her.’
The court heard how Stoica drove down to London on July 23 2021, stopping for two-and-a-half hours at a service station casino .
Shortly before the killing, Miteatu had texted Ms Cenusa asking if she was ok because he was concerned about her welfare.
Cenusa replied: ‘I’m fine. I wish I could kiss you. Leave it because it will pass.’
Stoica later messaged Cenusa saying: ‘I’m at the door.’ Less than four minutes later, CCTV captured Stoica running away from his ex-wife’s flat.
A neighbour said she found Cenusa lying in a pool of blood with a kitchen knife sticking out of her chest.
Jurors were told their daughter heard her mother screaming from her bedroom.
While lying on the floor, Cenusa video called Mr Miteatu and told him: ‘Claudiu, he barged in and stabbed me.’
She was still breathing when paramedics arrived, though they were unable to save her, and she was pronounced dead just after 2am.
Stoica pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed for life.
He was ordered to serve at least 18 years before he can be released on parole.
The Judge told him: ‘For a child to have to hear the screams of her mother as she is being stabbed is horrific. It is impossible to gauge the long-term damage caused.
‘There is no sensible explanation other than your controlling behaviour and that you were consumed by jealousy.
‘You must have intended to cause very serious harm. You left her with the knife plunged in her chest.’
