Valeriu Petrescu
Valeriu Petrescu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 27 September 1998 |
| Died | 18 June 2024 (aged 25) Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States |
| Cause of death | Killed by Petru Ionuț |
| Other names |
|
| Occupation | Criminal |
| Years active | 2016–2024 |
| Era | Vriend Era |
| Organization | Bucharest Butchers |
| Known for | Operations in Porno Bucharest |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Parent | Dorin Petrescu |
| Criminal charge | Murder; rape; kidnapping; human trafficking; unlawful imprisonment; organized crime |
| Details | |
| Victims | 29 confirmed killings; more than 40 additional suspected killings; 47 abductions |
Valeriu Petrescu (27 September 1998 – 18 June 2024), also known as Dirty and the Drunk Dog of Bucharest, was a Romanian mass murderer and rapist who worked for Porno Bucharest, a department of the Bucharest Butchers. Investigators attributed 29 confirmed murders and 47 abductions across Europe to him. He was also suspected of more than 40 additional killings.
Petrescu began transporting captives for Porno Bucharest in 2016 and later supervised guards at properties where abducted people were held. He was killed by Petru Ionuț on 18 June 2024 while attempting to murder him and abduct Silvia Wilson in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Early life
[edit | edit source]Petrescu was born on 27 September 1998 in Bucharest, Romania. His father, Dorin Petrescu, served in the Romanian Land Forces before joining Porno Bucharest under Marku Ionuț. Valeriu began working for the department in 2016.
Criminal career
[edit | edit source]Early murders and transport work
[edit | edit source]Petrescu initially accompanied drivers transporting abducted people between Porno Bucharest properties. During one journey in 2016, he beat a 17-year-old girl to death because she was crying. He then threatened the driver with a handgun and ordered him to drive to a river, where Petrescu disposed of her body.
The driver reported the murder to Marku Ionuț. Marku approved of Petrescu having acted without orders and decided to test him by assigning him another transport with the same driver. During the second journey, Petrescu made no reference to the murder or the driver's report. He handled the captives and completed the transport without another confrontation.
After receiving the driver's second report, Marku allowed Petrescu to direct captive transports without another guard supervising him. Petrescu could collect captives and instruct drivers, although the captives still had to be delivered to the destinations assigned by the department.
On his first transport under this arrangement, Petrescu killed another captive who resisted him during a journey outside Bucharest. He reported the killing himself.
In 2018, Petrescu helped move three captives from a house near Bucharest to a guarded property in Ilfov County. His father had ordered the first house abandoned. When one captive attempted to escape, Petrescu assaulted them before continuing the transfer.
Later activities
[edit | edit source]Petrescu took part in attacks on occupied homes from at least 2019. He abducted women and girls selected by Porno Bucharest, assaulted residents and killed relatives who resisted. His assignments included murders in Voluntari and Bucharest in 2019, followed by attacks on families in Romania and Serbia during 2020.
In 2021, Petrescu participated in kidnappings in Albania, Kosovo and Serbia. He also helped enter a house in Popești-Leordeni occupied by a family with two daughters. Several relatives were restrained, and other family members were killed. The daughters were taken to a Porno Bucharest safe house.
By 2022, Petrescu supervised younger guards at department properties. At a recording site in Ilfov County, he ordered assaults against captives who resisted instructions and participated in sexual abuse. He also took charge of the guards when a senior commander was absent.
Petrescu continued committing murders and kidnappings in 2023. During an operation near Voluntari, he helped kill members of a family and arranged the transfer of a surviving young woman to another property. He also took part in abductions in Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Petrescu was an alcoholic and frequently drank while working for Porno Bucharest. His drinking and violent behaviour earned him the nicknames "Dirty" and "Drunk Dog of Bucharest" among members of the Bucharest Butchers. He also used cannabis, anabolic steroids and stimulants obtained through contacts associated with the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen. His father, Dorin Petrescu, intervened when other members attempted to discipline him over his conduct.
By 2017, Petrescu owned a house where he held parties and met other Porno Bucharest members. Women were brought to the property to cook and clean. Investigators later found that several had been coerced into remaining there because Petrescu controlled their access to money and transport.
In 2020, Petrescu hired an independent hairdresser for appointments at his house. He refused to pay her and repeatedly threatened and raped her after haircuts, treating the assaults as payment. She disclosed the abuse after the fall of the Bucharest Butchers but remained anonymous.
Petrescu frequently drove stolen or unregistered cars. Romanian police officers who stopped him commonly released him after learning of his position in the Bucharest Butchers. In 2021, Hungarian police detained him near Szeged while he was driving a stolen Lamborghini Urus. He was held in a local cell until his father arranged his release through lawyers and criminal contacts.
Victims
[edit | edit source]Investigations attributed 29 confirmed killings and 47 abductions to Petrescu. More than 40 other killings remained suspected. The following cases document individual murders and abductions between 2018 and 2023. The two captive killings established in 2016 are described in his early criminal career; their inclusion in the existing confirmed total has not been established.
2018–2019
[edit | edit source]During the Rădulescu-Moraru murder in 2018, Petrescu beat 33-year-old Traian Rădulescu-Moraru to death beside a vehicle near Giurgiu.
The Sârbu-Cojocaru murders took place near Craiova in 2018. Petrescu was transferring 19-year-old Amalia Sârbu-Cojocaru to another safe house when Damian Sârbu-Cojocaru, aged 31, attempted to stop him. Damian was killed by blunt-force injuries beside the vehicle.
In 2019, Petrescu forced his way into a house in Voluntari and beat Florin Hârjoneanu, aged 29, to death when he confronted him. The case became known as the Hârjoneanu murder.
Petrescu also abducted 18-year-old Sorina Mărgineanu from her family home in Bucharest. Ovidiu Mărgineanu, aged 41, attempted to reach another room while Sorina was being taken away and was shot. The incident is documented in the Mărgineanu family murders.
2020
[edit | edit source]During the Bălăceanu family murders in Popești-Leordeni, Petrescu sexually assaulted 17-year-old Irina Bălăceanu and dragged her through the rear gate of her family home. Raluca Bălăceanu, aged 39, fought him inside the house and was shot.
Near Subotica, Serbia, Petrescu abducted 18-year-old Milena Janković. Dragan Janković, aged 51, refused to unlock a storage room and was fatally stabbed after Petrescu forced the door. The case is documented in the Janković murders.
During the Păunescu-Voinea murders in Ploiești, Petrescu sexually assaulted 16-year-old Daria Păunescu-Voinea before forcing her into a van. Mihnea Păunescu-Voinea, aged 36, fought him during the abduction and was shot.
Petrescu also took part in the Zlătescu-Danciu family murders in Timișoara. Mariana Zlătescu-Danciu, aged 46, was shot inside her home. Radu Zlătescu-Danciu, aged 19, resisted Petrescu's entry and was beaten to death.
2021
[edit | edit source]Near Durrës, Albania, Petrescu abducted 19-year-old Elira Dervishi. Blerim Dervishi, aged 44, approached while Elira was being forced into a car and was fatally stabbed. The case is documented in the Dervishi murders.
During the Hoxha abduction near Pristina, Kosovo, Petrescu stopped a vehicle carrying 20-year-old Arta Hoxha and abducted her. Besnik Hoxha, aged 46, attempted to ram Petrescu's vehicle and was shot.
In Niš, Serbia, Petrescu blocked a vehicle carrying 20-year-old Mira Arnautović and forced her into a van. Pavel Arnautović, aged 43, stood in front of the van to stop it from leaving and was fatally struck. The case became known as the Niš abductions.
During the Qosja abduction in Shkodër, Albania, Petrescu abducted 17-year-old Liridona Qosja. Arben Qosja, aged 39, followed the vehicle and was fatally stabbed.
Petrescu also participated in the Živković family murders in Novi Sad, Serbia. He strangled 50-year-old Jelena Živković inside her home. Milan Živković, aged 23, attempted to hold the rear door shut and was shot at the doorway.
2022
[edit | edit source]At a private party near Sighetu Marmației, Maramureș County, Petrescu drugged and raped 24-year-old Chiara Bellocchio, an Italian woman visiting the area. Bellocchio was murdered and dismembered. Investigators found that Petrescu had burned her head in a field near Săpânța and used an industrial meat grinder at a butcher shop in Sighetu Marmației to dispose of other remains. The case is documented in the Bellocchio murder.
During the Czarnecki abduction outside Łódź, Poland, Petrescu forced 21-year-old Ewa Czarnecka from a vehicle on a service road. Marek Czarnecki, aged 48, pursued him and was beaten to death.
In Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Petrescu blocked the car of 16-year-old Kalina Eftimova, sexually assaulted her and abducted her. Stoyan Eftimov, aged 42, attempted to drive her away and was shot beside the car. The case became known as the Eftimova abduction.
During the Kovačić family murders in Zagreb, Croatia, Petrescu sexually assaulted 22-year-old Ivana Kovačić and forced her from her family home. Petar Kovačić, aged 45, attempted to block the stairwell and was shot.
Petrescu used a delivery vehicle to enter a property in Varna, Bulgaria, where he abducted 24-year-old Vanya Oreshkova. Georgi Oreshkov, aged 49, attempted to escape through the garage and was beaten to death. The case is documented in the Oreshkova abduction.
During the Ristovski murders outside Skopje, North Macedonia, Petrescu abducted 18-year-old Elena Ristovski at a roadside stop. Goran Ristovski, aged 35, witnessed the kidnapping and attempted to warn another household. Petrescu shot him before he reached the house.
2023
[edit | edit source]In Brno, Czech Republic, Petrescu abducted 17-year-old Lenka Gajdošová outside an apartment building. Marta Gajdošová, aged 34, witnessed the abduction and attempted to telephone the police. Petrescu entered the building and strangled her before leaving with Lenka. The case became known as the Gajdošová murders.
During the Győr kidnappings in Hungary, Petrescu entered a flat where 37-year-old András Farkas-Lukács struck him. András was killed by blunt-force injuries, while 15-year-old Réka Farkas-Lukács was abducted before police reached the street.
In Kraków, Poland, Petrescu entered an apartment used by a courier, abducted 23-year-old Zofia Laskowska and beat Stanisław Laskowski, aged 58, to death. The case is documented in the Laskowska apartment murders.
During the Novotná kidnapping in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Petrescu abducted 19-year-old Tereza Novotná from a property and forced her into a vehicle. Karel Novotný, aged 52, attempted to intervene and was strangled.
In Szeged, Hungary, Petrescu forced the car of 21-year-old Eszter Tóthfalusi into a service lane. He sexually assaulted her before abducting her in a van. Nándor Tóthfalusi, aged 47, blocked the lane with his own vehicle and was shot. The case is documented in the Tóthfalusi abduction.
Petrescu killed three members of the Zhelyazkov family in Ruse, Bulgaria, during the Zhelyazkova family murders. Dimo Zhelyazkov, aged 54, was shot while attempting to reach the front door. Todor Zhelyazkov, aged 28, confronted Petrescu and was beaten to death. Veselin Zhelyazkov, aged 17, was fatally stabbed while trying to call for help. Petrescu abducted 20-year-old Aneliya Zhelyazkova.
Death
[edit | edit source]On 18 June 2024, Marku Ionuț sent Petrescu to Hollywood, Los Angeles, to kill Petru Ionuț and abduct Silvia Wilson. Petru had refused to surrender control of his California criminal network to Marku.
Petrescu entered Petru's penthouse above a casino at approximately 9:13 p.m. He attacked Petru from behind, jumped onto his back and forced him to the floor. At 9:14 p.m., Wilson struck Petrescu on the head with a glass bottle, allowing Petru to break free.
At approximately 9:15 p.m., Petrescu attempted to draw a handgun. Petru grabbed his arm, and the weapon discharged during the struggle, grazing Petru's shoulder. Petru knocked the gun away.
Ruben Istrate, who was downstairs in the casino, heard the gunshot and entered the penthouse carrying a firearm. Petrescu was still fighting Petru but could not recover his handgun.
Between 9:15 and 9:17 p.m., Petru repeatedly punched Petrescu, knocking out several of his teeth. Petrescu attempted to defend himself and retreat. At approximately 9:17 p.m., Petru slammed his head against the edge of a table and continued beating him. Petrescu fell to the floor and tried to stand, but Petru stomped on his head. He died at the scene, aged 25.
Petru and Istrate took Petrescu's body to a field outside Los Angeles. While searching his jacket, they found a note instructing him to deliver Wilson alive to Marku. Petru stabbed Petrescu's face several times before they buried the body.