Stepfather Accused of Murder Allegedly Went on Beach Walk With Victim's Mother While Body Was Undiscovered

A stepfather accused of murdering his 19-year-old stepdaughter allegedly went for a walk on the beach with her mother while the student's body lay undiscovered in her university accommodation. Nathan Owens, 34, is on trial for the murder of Carla Georgescu, a second-year clinical psychology student at the University of Lancashire.

Prosecutors contend that Owens developed a "dangerous sexual obsession" with Georgescu, which escalated to him having sex with a life-sized effigy of her dressed in her nightgown. The court has heard that Owens allegedly drove from their home in Hartlepool to Preston in the early hours of February 4 and attacked Georgescu in her student flat. Her body was discovered the following day, February 5, on what would have been her 20th birthday.

During the trial, Georgescu's mother, Janina Georgescu, testified that her husband did not mention his trip to Preston when they spoke later on the morning of February 4. She described Owens as appearing his "normal self" and stated that nothing seemed different about him when they later went shopping and took their regular walk on the beach.

Janina Georgescu became concerned when her daughter did not respond to messages and calls. She contacted university security, who then alerted the police. Officers visited the family home and informed her that her daughter had been found hanged. At this point, Owens began crying and comforting her. It was only later, after Janina Georgescu contacted a hospital mortuary, that Owens revealed he had been at her daughter's flat that morning. He claimed Georgescu had asked him to bring her incontinence pants and help her tidy her room, a narrative the prosecution suggests was an attempt to "cover his tracks" and "keep his wife onside."

Carla Georgescu was found slumped against a wardrobe door with her belt around her neck. A post-mortem examination also revealed two heavy blows to her head, wounds to her cheek from a sharp object, and cuts and bruises to her mouth and nose. The prosecution alleges that in the months leading up to the murder, Owens amassed material on Georgescu, including "manipulating" and "sexualizing" images of her without her knowledge. He also allegedly filmed himself using sex toys and accessed further images of her.

The prosecution further claims that Owens may have been motivated by "sexual jealousy" after discovering Georgescu was about to meet a man with whom she had formed a romantic online relationship. Georgescu had reportedly told friends and her online boyfriend, Dan, that she had no suicidal thoughts and was excited about meeting him in person. University counselors had also assessed her as having no plans to harm herself. Owens denies charges of murder, intentional strangulation, and grievous bodily harm with intent.