Two individuals have appeared in court facing serious charges linked to the death of an 80-year-old man in the Cotswolds nearly two years ago. Adina Mihai, 30, and Madalin Dumitru, 29, stand accused of murdering Malcolm King at his Bagendon residence near Cirencester on August 21, 2024.
The charges were brought forward after a joint investigation by Gloucestershire Police and Thames Valley Police. In addition to murder, the pair face alternative counts of manslaughter, multiple charges of administering poison causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), and conspiracy to steal.
At Oxford Crown Court on April 24, both Mihai and Dumitru entered not guilty pleas to a total of 19 charges and were remanded in custody. Their legal troubles extend beyond this case; they were previously charged by Thames Valley Police in connection with the death of 37-year-old Gary Mouat in Banbury on July 13, 2025. Charges included murder, alternative manslaughter, administering poison with intent to cause GBH, and conspiracy to steal.
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Moreover, Mihai and Dumitru are accused of poisoning and conspiring to steal from three additional men on separate occasions between July 13 and July 31, 2025. These charges comprise multiple counts of administering poison leading to serious injury and conspiracy to steal from the victims, whose identities remain protected by legal safeguards.
Both defendants are scheduled to appear again at Oxford Crown Court on June 3, 2026, to face all outstanding charges.