Nathan Owens, 34, has been found guilty of murdering his stepdaughter Carla Georgescu, a gifted psychology student, after harbouring a sexual obsession with her for months or possibly years. The jury at Manchester Crown Court took three hours to reach their verdict, also convicting him of GBH.
A family meal before the killing
Days before her death, Carla Georgescu enjoyed a birthday meal with her mother, Janina Georgescu, and stepfather at Kimji Korean restaurant in Preston. Janina described Carla as "very excited, very happy, perhaps the most happy I had seen her since she was a child."
The 20-year-old had a book deal in the works, was excelling at university, and had planned a trip to Romania and a meeting with her online boyfriend on Valentine's Day. After the meal, Owens and Janina returned to their home in Hartlepool, while Carla stayed in Preston.
A hidden obsession
By day, Janina worked as a clinical psychologist. At night, Owens, who did not work, stayed awake until around 7am while his wife slept. Janina believed he was playing video games or watching TV, but his digital devices revealed he was creating hundreds of deepfake images of Carla and filming himself with her belongings.
Nicholas Lumley KC said: "She had no idea who he was, no idea what he was doing, not least when she slept. She had no idea how obsessed he was with her daughter."
The early morning attack
On February 4, 2026, at around 2:30am, Owens messaged Carla claiming her mother had forgotten her wallet and that they were coming to collect it. He arrived at Ribble Hall student accommodation at 4:30am, covering his head with a blanket to avoid CCTV. He left an hour and a half later wearing Carla's trainers and carrying her umbrella and a carrier bag.
He disposed of sex toys, blood-stained bedsheets, and Carla's mobile phone on his way back to Hartlepool. When Carla's body was found, it appeared she had taken her own life, but forensic examinations revealed traces of his semen and defensive injuries on her hands. Owens was arrested on February 7 and later charged with murder.
Verdict and sentencing
During the trial, Owens refused to enter the witness box and smirked as details of Carla's life were examined. The jury found him guilty of murder and GBH. He will be sentenced on Friday, October 23.
