State awaiting DPP directions in case of man charged with Bruna Fonseca murder

Cork District Court has heard that the State is awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in connection with the case of a man charged with the murder of 28-year-old Brazilian woman Bruna Fonseca.

Ms Fonseca was found dead in a flat in Liberty Street in Cork city centre on New Year’s Day. The following day Miller Pacheco (29), who is originally from Formiga in Brazil but who was living at Room 3, 5 Liberty Street, appeared before a special sitting of the court where he was charged with murder.

The charge read that on January 1st, 2023, at 5 Liberty Street he did murder one Bruna Fonseca contrary to common law. The charge was translated for him by a Portuguese interpreter.

Mr Pacheco appeared before the court again on Monday by video link. He had the assistance of a translator as he does not speak English.

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Sgt Gearóid Davis told Judge Olann Kelleher that directions from the DPP are awaited in the case. He requested that the matter be adjourned until January 30th.

Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said he had spoken to his client who understood that the investigation into the death of Ms Fonseca was at an early stage. He stated that his client was made aware that the Garda file would not be sent to the DPP for some period of time.

Judge Kelleher remanded Mr Pacheco in continuing custody until his next court appearance on January 30th. He will appear by video link on that occasion. He will again require the assistance of a translator.

The court previously directed that Mr Pacheco receive all appropriate medical attention in Cork Prison. Free legal aid was also granted as the accused is on a low income.

Ms Fonseca was a native of Formiga in Minas Gerais, Brazil. She was a qualified librarian and graduated from the Centro Universitario de Formiga in 2018. She moved to Cork in September of last year and was working as a contract cleaner in Mercy University Hospital.

A postmortem was carried out on Ms Fonseca at Cork University Hospital by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster.

Meanwhile, gardaí investigating the death of Ms Fonseca have renewed their appeal for information. They are appealing to anyone that was on Liberty Street either on foot or in a car between 4.30am and 6.30am on the morning of January 1st to contact them at the Bridewell Garda station in Cork on 021 494 3330.