Ana-Maria Guja vanished on April 12 and was last seen entering the vehicle of a man suspected to be a former police officer. Her remains were found eight days later, on Saturday, dumped in a dirt pit and concealed with branches.
The murder of the 19-year-old, who was pursuing a degree in pedagogy, has deeply affected Moldova. Over 900 individuals assisted law enforcement in searching for her in the city of Orhei, approximately 30 miles from the capital Chisinau.
Volunteers were captured on camera combing through fields and forests in the area in the hopes of locating her alive.
After five days, authorities confirmed that Ana-Maria’s body was found in a forest, near a stream, close to the village of Chițcanii. Local media reported that she was a student at the Orhei Pedagogical College and her mother mentioned she was six months pregnant.
It is believed that on the night of her disappearance, the victim entered the wrong vehicle, rather than the one arranged by her boyfriend to pick her up, but this has not been confirmed by officials.
A 45-year-old man, a former police officer, has been arrested for her murder. A timeline of her disappearance indicates that she entered a car on August Street at 9 pm on April 12 and drove off in an unknown direction.
A statement from the police read: ‘The car in which the victim entered was located, and its driver was identified and apprehended. ‘The 45-year-old man has been detained for 72 hours. He is not cooperating with the investigation.’
His photo was shared on Facebook by the police, who stated that he has ‘altered his appearance significantly over time’ and urged the public to reach out if they had been harassed by him in the past. Upon searching his residence and vehicle, authorities discovered various items belonging to a woman.
