Hartlepool stepdad found guilty of murdering student stepdaughter

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 22 Oct, 18:33 · Archive

Nathan Owens has been found guilty of murdering Carla Georgescu, a 20-year-old student, in her Preston halls of residence.

Nathan Owens, 34, from Hartlepool, has been found guilty of murdering Carla Georgescu in her student accommodation at Preston. The jury took three hours to unanimously return guilty verdicts for murder and grievous bodily harm at Preston Crown Court. Owens will be sentenced on Friday, October 23.

Owens had travelled from the family home in Hartlepool and killed Carla in the early hours of February 4, 2026, on her 20th birthday. She was a second year psychology student with plans to travel to Romania the following day. When she did not arrive at the station and her mother could not contact her, police found Carla's lifeless body in her bedroom. She had been stabbed and had defensive and sexual injuries before being suspended from a wardrobe with a belt.

Court proceedings revealed that Owens harboured a sexual obsession with his stepdaughter. He had doctored childhood photographs of her to make them indecent images, photographed her without her knowledge in the family home, and filmed himself carrying out sexual acts in her bedroom and with an effigy. During the three week trial, Owens smirked and made notes; he showed no emotion when found guilty and laughed during prosecution closing arguments.

How it is being reported

• 'Despicable' Hartlepool killer Nathan Owens is found guilty of murdering stepdaughter Carla GeorgescuA man has been found guilty of murdering his Hartlepool stepdaughter after harbouring a sexual obsession for her.Hartlepool Mail · 22 Oct, 17:55
• 'Stepdad with perverted sexual obsession with stepdaughter ended with him murdering her'Nathan Owens has been found guilty of murdering Carla Georgescu after standing trial at Preston Crown CourtTeessideLive · 22 Oct, 14:27
• Teesside stepdad smirks as jury finds him guilty of murdering student in halls of residenceNathan Owens will be sentenced to life for murdering Carla Georgescu when he returns to court on FridayTeessideLive · 22 Oct, 12:59

In this story: Nathan Owens · Carla Georgescu · Hartlepool · Preston · Preston Crown Court

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