Cork court hears judge impose life sentence on killer of 'decent, loving and complete' Bruna 

The Brazilian family of the 28-year-old woman whose former boyfriend was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder today were not driven by hate but by love and the search for justice for the irreparable harm caused by the murder of Bruna Fonseca and the deep loss for those left behind.

Izabel Fonseca, Bruna’s sister, spoke for the family today as 32-year-old Miller Pacheco was given the mandatory life sentence by Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford, ten days after the trial began at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

While Miller Pacheco contested the case, his senior counsel Ray Boland said today on the 32-year-old’s behalf: “He accepts the jury’s verdict that he murdered Bruna. He will not appeal. He wants to apologise for the devastation he caused.” 

ONE HOUR AND TWO MINUTES

The jury took only one hour and two minutes to reach their unanimous verdict that he was guilty of murdering his former girlfriend, 28-year-old Bruna Fonseca, at his apartment at Liberty Street in Cork on January 1 2023.

Sympathising with the Fonseca family and praising the bravery of the victim impact statements from Izabel and Bruna’s cousin Marcella Fonseca, Ms Justice Lankford said it was clear that the deceased was a thoroughly decent, loving and complete human being who had been in a relationship with Miller Pacheco characterised by neediness and a refusal to let her on with her life.

The judge made particular reference to a recorded phone call where Bruna told Miller: “There is no winner here. It is not fighting for a trophy. I am not a trophy. To say someone won or lost it. It is my life – no one is entitled to it other than me.” But the judge said the young woman was regarded as a trophy by Miller. “She could not be won or lost. She had her own dreams and hopes. She could not be treated as a trophy,” the judge said.

Speaking outside afterwards, family and loved ones said they would never forget Bruna and they were happy and relieved to get justice, even though nothing would bring her back. Bruna was described as their rainbow, breaking through the dark clouds.