Charged in brutal murder in Mount Pleasant, Cristian Loga-Negru appears in court without attorney

RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- Charged in connection with the brutal murder of Roxana Abrudan in Mount Pleasant, Cristian Loga-Negru appeared in court on Thursday, December 11th for a competency hearing.

Loga-Negru made his court appearance without his attorney, and the court determined Loga-Negru does not qualify for a public defender. However, he has not retained counsel, according to the court.

Loga-Negru told court officials he has spoken with his attorney, and he requested a three week adjournment of his case. The court denied that request.

A copy of the examiner's competency report was delivered to Loga-Negru, and a review hearing was scheduled for December 19th.

Police say Roxana Abrudan was attacked with a hatchet-type weapon on November 19th in Mount Pleasant.

Loga-Negru faces the following criminal charges: first-degree intentional homicide, mayhem and kidnapping.

During Loga-Negru's first court appearance in this case, it was said the victim did everything she was supposed to do as a domestic abuse victim. She reported the abuse, she got a restraining order, fled her home, and tried to hide in Mount Pleasant. And still wasn’t enough to keep her safe.

“The case is as brutal I think as any we’ll ever see,” said Racine County District Attorney, Rich Chiapete.

A criminal complaint says Loga-Negru was seen dragging Roxana Abrudan across a yard in Mount Pleasant, and into his car. When an officer responded to the home, he found a metal hatchet with blood and hair on it — and two fingers.

“He was lying in wait, in that rented vehicle with binoculars, with a hatchet, waiting for the opportunity to strike her,” said Chiapete.

The complaint says Loga-Negru drove his rented car to a Super 8 Motel where he’d been staying with his father. It says when an officer found Loga-Negru standing over Abrudan in the car’s backseat, he asked the officer for the death penalty and to shoot him.

Abrudan’s injuries were violent and brutal.

“I don’t think the use of the hatchet in this case was an accident. I think the weapon, when we looked at it, was meant to inflict the maximum amount of pain, terror and mutilation in this poor victim,” said Chiapete.

Chiapete asked that Loga-Negru be held without bond, saying he's a danger to anyone he comes in contact with.

“She got a restraining order in the state of Illinois, she fled the state of Illinois and she hid from him. He clearly had intent to do what he did,” said Chiapete.

It is believed that Loga-Negru is a Romanian citizen, or has duel citizenship. Chiapete says he believes Loga-Negru may have planned to murder his wife, then fly back to Romania.

FOX6 News learned Loga-Negru has a history of problems with women. Court records show, its been only months since the suspect divorced a different woman in Illinois.

Loga-Negru’s former lawyer says the suspect has been married at least twice before this current relationship. The attorney tells FOX6 News Loga-Negru works in finance with his father. An online profile with LinkedIn lists him as the president of a trading service, and a veteran of the Army who spent time overseas in South Korea.

If convicted, Loga-Negru faces up to life in prison.

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