North London Jewish Murder: Killer Caged

A young Romanian – high on a cocktail of drink and drugs – who butchered a popular middle-aged Israeli woman in her own home is starting a life sentence.

Nicolae Patraucean, 21, of Stanmore will serve a minimum of twenty-five years after pleading guilty to murdering 55 year-old Rivka Holden at her home in Falcon Way, Colindale.

He slashed her throat with a knife and inflicted further serious wounds with a Stanley knife at the address on March 16.

Police were flagged down at 12.20pm and officers were alerted to a seriously injured woman at her home address.

London Ambulance Service attended the address and Rivka was pronounced dead at the scene.

She had suffered stab injuries. 



A murder investigation was launched under Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Wall of the Homicide and Major Crime Command.



The victim's Red Hyundai i20, which had been stolen by Patraucean and driven away from the scene, was later found abandoned in the Kingsbury area.

Robbery was not, however, believed to be the motive for the murder.



Detective Inspector Simon Ashwin, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "I hope this sentence gives Ms Holden's family some solace in knowing that her killer has been brought to justice and will spend many years in prison."