Although Romanian police has apprehended the suspect in the double murder case at Siret, they only expelled him from the country for trespassing, as they failed to find relevant evidence. Ukrainian police however took him in custody on a weapon-related charge. A Romanian General Police Inspectorate press release received by Nine O’Clock showed no evidence has been produced against the suspect, who was questioned by Romanian police over his illegally crossing the Romanian-Ukrainian border and submitted to biological testing. Having learned the man was a suspect in a double murder case, Romanian authorities alerted their Ukrainian counterparts to monitor him. Leonid Zaporojnet, 51, was later on arrested by Ukrainian police for an unrelated offense, drug and arm possession.
Nonetheless, the man will not be sent for trial in Romania, as Ukraine does not extradite its citizens. The man, who is suspected to have shot dead a month ago the wife and daughter of Vasile Hritcu, a con man resident of Siret, was caught by Ukrainian police early last week. Romanian investigators gave robbery, and not settling of accounts as the reason for the murder Zaporojnet is suspected to have committed. Leonid Zaporojnet’s identity was established based on DNA collected from a bullet cartridge found near Carmen Hritcu’s dead body. Despite original rumors of the murders being the work of two suspects, judicial sources say no evidence has been found to sustain Zapojnet would have had an accomplice.
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