Man appears in court charged with the murder of Brazilian woman in Cork
Miller Pacheco, who was charged with the murder of Brazilian national, Bruna Fonseca at Anglesea Street Courthouse, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan
A man has been charged with the murder of his former partner in a flat in Cork city in the early hours of New Year's Day.
Brazilian national, Miller Pacheco, 29, was brought before a special sitting of Cork District Court on Monday evening where he was charged with the murder of Bruna Fonseca at Number 5 Liberty Street, Cork on January 1, 2023, contrary to common law.
Det Garda Padraig Harrington gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.
He told Judge John King that he arrested Mr Pacheco, who has an address at room three, number five Liberty St, Cork, at 2.45pm on Monday at the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork city and charged him at 3.51pm with murder.
He said Mr Pacheco indicated through a translator that he understood the charge and in reply said he “had nothing to say”.
The accused, who appeared in court wearing a black round necked jumper, black tracksuit pants and black runners, had the assistance of a Portuguese translator during the brief court hearing.
He was not required to speak during the hearing.
Sgt Pat Lyons asked that the accused be remanded in custody to Cork Prison to appear before the court again via video link on January 9.
Judge King then remanded the accused in custody. Bail is not available in the district court in the case of a murder charge.
Mr Pacheco’s solicitor, Aoife Buttimer, asked that her client receive all necessary and appropriate medical care in custody.
Judge King said that would be addressed as part of the medical screening process on arrival at prison.
Ms Buttimer said her client was working but was on low-income and she applied for and was granted free legal aid.
Three members of Ms Fonseca’s extended family, and a friend, sat at the back of the courtroom for the proceedings, accompanied and supported by a garda family liaison officer.
Ms Fonseca was found dead on Sunday after gardaĂ were called to number five Liberty St, in the heart of Cork city, at around 6.30am.
GardaĂ found her in an unresponsive state in the flat over the Picasso Hair Studio where despite resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, her heartbroken family has been remembering her “sweet way of being”.
Ms Fonseca’s cousin, Denis Palhares, said her family and friends in her native Brazil are distraught.
“She was the favourite cousin of all cousins,” he said, speaking from his home in Formiga, where she was born and raised.
“She was also the niece most loved by uncles and aunts and she was the daughter who was her mother's best friend.
“Bruna had a way about her and she was adored for it.
“She was always very helpful to others and she has always been admired for her humility and her sweet way of being.”Â
He added that the 28-year-old former librarian had always had “a dream to live in another country”, and that she had lived in Ireland since September last year.
Andressa Nunes, 26, who is originally from south Brazil but who has been living and working in Ireland for the last three years, attended the same New Year’s Eve party in Cork’s Oyster Tavern on Saturday night as Bruna along with a large contingent of the city’s Brazilian community.
Andressa said they were all in complete shock.
“It is very hard to us to understand,” she said.
“Like me, she came to Ireland to study, to improve her English, to try to find a better life.
“She didn’t even complete a full year. When I heard the next morning about what happened to her, I was close to tears.”
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