Edmonton man who murdered wife gets life sentence, no parole chance for 13 years

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Warning: This story contains disturbing details. 

An Edmonton man who beat his wife to death in a delusional rage has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years.

Vasile Roman sat in the prisoner’s box in an Edmonton courtroom Wednesday as Court of King’s Bench Justice James Neilson recounted the “appalling” violence he inflicted on Daniela Roman, who police found in a pool of blood in the basement of the family home Dec. 15, 2022.

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Roman admitted to attacking Daniela, 51, with a hammer on the delusional belief she was cheating on him.

A psychologist who assessed Roman concluded his beliefs were “never founded in objective reality,” but he nonetheless understood the wrongfulness of his actions and was fit to stand trial.

The couple had two sons, now in their 20s, who described in victim impact statements the devastation their mother’s murder has caused.

One, who works as a wedding photographer, said he cries behind the camera during every mother-and-son dance.

“He will never be able to thank her for the way she raised him,” Neilson said.

Roman, who was 54 at the time of his arrest, came from Romania and worked as a truck driver. Court heard from multiple sources he was a longtime alcoholic with a history of abusive, delusional behaviour. In an agreed statement of facts, he admitted to being physically and verbally abusive toward his mother as a child and long displayed extreme jealousy when it came to Daniela.

Daniela trained as a mechanical engineer in Romania before moving to Canada in 2008 “to give her boys a better life and more opportunities,” according to an obituary.

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Daniela’s mom home during murder

Roman called police the day of the murder and “calmly” told the 911 operator he killed his wife with a hammer, the agreed facts state. Daniela’s mother was home during the murder and was confused when she heard screams from the bedroom. When she encountered Roman, he was in a “light, upbeat mood.”

Daniela lay dead on the basement floor. Her injuries included a dislocated pelvis, fractures to her ribs and forearms and severe damage to several internal organs. Her hands were covered in “defensive” injuries, suggesting she fought back.

Roman told police he killed Daniela because of her alleged infidelity, saying he installed cameras around the house that captured proof of his claims. When police searched the home, however, they found no cameras, and no evidence they existed was presented in court.

The couple’s sons said their father had a history of violence driven by paranoid thinking. They said Roman assaulted their mother in 2014 and also tried to drown her in a tub. When one of them pressed him for evidence about his infidelity claims, Roman replied “he doesn’t need to show proof because God sees it all,” Neilson said.

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After his arrest, Roman was charged with second-degree murder and held in custody. He pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year. The psychologist who assessed him said his delusions “could be classified as a form of schizophrenia,” Neilson said, “but not to a point it ever impacts his day-to-day functioning” or his criminal responsibility.

‘Emotionally ruined’

Crown prosecutor Euan Gilmour sought the mandatory life sentence with 14 years of parole ineligibility, while defence lawyer Darin Sprake asked that his client be allowed to apply for parole after 12 years.

Neilson settled in between the two. Calling the crime “brutal and merciless,” he said it was aggravating that Roman murdered his wife in a place she was entitled to feel safe, within earshot of her own mother.

Mitigating was the fact Roman reported the murder to police and pleaded guilty, saving court time and preventing witnesses from having to testify. Roman earlier apologized to his sons in court but declined a chance to speak on Wednesday.

Both sons said they suffer sleepless nights, anxiety and guilt over the loss of their mom. Both lost their home in the wake of her murder and “had to start from zero,” the eldest said. They continue to care for their grandmother, who he described as “emotionally ruined.”

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Parole eligibility does not mean a person will ever be released, and Roman will remain under Parole Board of Canada supervision for the rest of his life.

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