Roderick Cassar, the estranged husband of femicide victim Bernice Cassar, is reportedly considering admitting guilt to the murder that shocked Malta in 2022.

Cassar stands accused of fatally shooting his 40-year-old wife in Kordin on 22 November 2022. He was the first person in Malta to be charged under the newly introduced offence of wilful homicide.

He currently faces 15 charges, including murder, unlawful arrest, harassment, threats, stalking, theft, and the unlicensed use of a firearm. To date, he has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

According to the Newsbook, discussions are ongoing between Cassar's defence team and the Office of the Attorney General about a possible plea agreement.

Cassar had previously mounted multiple legal challenges, contesting the admissibility of evidence and questioning the constitutionality of Malta's new femicide provisions. He also sought to exclude testimony from the victim's relatives as hearsay, and to remove police reports and electronic communications presented by the prosecution.

Judge Neville Camilleri dismissed these requests, ruling that the contested evidence was lawfully obtained and that hearsay is not automatically excluded under Maltese law.

Cassar's repeated bail requests were likewise rejected, with courts expressing doubts about his reliability and citing the severity of the charges. Prosecutors highlighted threatening messages he allegedly sent to Bernice Cassar and her family.

Before her death, Bernice Cassar - a mother of two - had filed several police reports alleging domestic violence. Her lawyer had warned authorities that her estranged husband was breaching a protection order and posed a serious threat to her safety.

A subsequent judicial inquiry identified systemic failures in the state's handling of domestic violence cases, citing inadequate resources and excessive caseloads. The inquiry urged urgent reforms, including stricter enforcement of protection orders and improved institutional coordination.

If Cassar formally pleads guilty, the case will not proceed to a jury trial. Sentencing discussions would then follow. Murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, though the sentence could be reduced if a plea deal is reached and approved by the court.