[5] According to the prosecution, the motive for the murder was jealousy caused by an extramarital affair that Ghinescu had; her disappearance occurred right after she returned from a trip to Dubai with her alleged lover, a former SPP officer,[6] who testified in court to their relationship.

A dirty police uniform, pictures with Ghinescu and her son, a perfume bottle and a pair of blood-stained gloves were found on 8 October, somewhere between Poiana Brasov and Râşnov.

[11][12] The 2009 Media Sustainability Index noted that "From 2007 to 2008, OTV organized several hundred so-called episodes about the disappearance of Elodia Ghinescu, a lawyer who married a police officer.

"[13] Indeed, while OTV profited greatly from the cases, doubling its viewing numbers a few months after beginning to cover the disappearance, more established channels also contributed to the media circus.

Pro TV launched a screenwriting contest named "Elodia's Enigma", promising to turn the winning entry into a film, with over 2000 people submitting their version.