Killer of Teenager Danny Katz and Soldier Dafna Carmon Dies in Prison

Ataf Sabihi, 68, who was convicted of the murders of teenager Danny Katz and soldier Dafna Carmon in the 1980s, has died in prison. The Israel Prison Service confirmed his death on Thursday, stating that his medical condition was confidential and that an investigation team had been appointed, as is standard procedure for inmate deaths.

Carmon, 19, disappeared on June 11, 1982, after leaving a friend's home in Haifa. Her remains were discovered by a shepherd three weeks later near the Usfiya junction. The investigation into her murder gained momentum following the 1983 murder of 14-year-old Danny Katz in Haifa.

Sabihi, who worked as a tractor driver and in security roles, was arrested in connection with Katz's murder. In March 1984, another suspect in the Katz case, Ahmed Kuzli, offered information on Carmon's murder in exchange for state witness status. This led to the arrest of Ataf Sabihi and his relatives, Kamal and Muhammad Sabihi, and their cousin, who confessed to the crimes.

For years, the convicted men maintained their innocence and sought a retrial. They were granted a retrial for the Katz murder but were convicted again in 2000. The Supreme Court acknowledged that improper investigative methods may have been used but upheld the conviction, ruling that the murders were motivated by nationalism. Following the conviction, Muhammad Sabihi stated, "You are judging us for something we did not do. God will repay you."

Lea Carmon, Dafna's mother, expressed her anguish to "Yediot Ahronot," calling the perpetrators "predatory animals" and advocating for their permanent removal from society, suggesting the death penalty as preferable.