Stepfather Sentenced to 35 Years for Murder of Teenage Stepdaughter

Nathan Owens, 34, was sentenced Monday at Preston Crown Court for the murder of Carla Georgescu, a student at the University of Lancashire. The judge described Owens as "despicable."

Jurors found Owens guilty of murder after deliberating for just over three hours. Prosecutors suggested Owens was motivated by sexual jealousy, believing his stepdaughter was planning a trip to Romania to meet a man she had been romantically involved with online.

Owens, who had previously pleaded guilty to making indecent images of his stepdaughter, drove from his family home in Hartlepool to Preston on February 4. He duped Ms. Georgescu into letting him into her student flat at 4 a.m., where he strangled her. Prosecutors stated his intention was "to satisfy his sexual needs, come what may."

After the killing, Owens returned home to Ms. Georgescu's mother and was seen calmly shopping at Asda with her while his stepdaughter lay undiscovered. He remained silent during police interviews and refused to give evidence in court, thereby avoiding cross-examination. During his trial, he was observed smirking and flicking his hair.

Carla Georgescu, described by a professional as "intelligent, gentle and articulate," was a second-year clinical psychology student. She had plans for postgraduate studies in Romania and was scheduled to travel there the day after her body was found, accompanied by a friend to meet her boyfriend for the first time.

Police initially suspected suicide after Ms. Georgescu's body was found slumped against a wardrobe door on February 5, with a belt around her neck. However, CCTV footage proved Owens' account that his wife had accompanied him to be false. Further evidence from the car's GPS system revealed that Owens had stopped to dispose of crucial evidence, including Ms. Georgescu's mobile phone, bloodied bedding, and a blood-stained T-shirt.

During the trial, it was revealed that Owens had developed a "sexually fixated" obsession with Carla, secretly taking pictures of her in her underwear and having sex with an effigy of her, her dolls, and toys. He also manipulated an innocent image of her to appear sexual. His wife was unaware of his actions.

Following the verdicts, Detective Inspector Pete Macdonald of Lancashire Police stated, "Carla was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, a life that was taken away by someone she should have been able to trust."

Owens was also convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent. He will be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 35 years.