Killer of Caucasus Crime Boss Yevgeny Yusvaev Arrested in Israel

Israeli police have revealed new details regarding the assassination of Yevgeny Yusvaev, the alleged head of a Caucasus crime group, who was shot and killed at a gas station in Caesarea. The prosecution has notified the court of the completion of the investigation and impending charges against the main suspect, 54-year-old Doron Weitzman of Moshav Hazon in the Galilee. Weitzman, who has a prior criminal record and has served prison time, is expected to face charges by September 25th in the Haifa District Court.

Investigators from the Hof District Police determined that Weitzman had been dining at a restaurant, awaiting Yusvaev's arrival. Evidence, including fingerprints found on cigarette butts and a glass in the restaurant, as well as in the getaway car, led to his identification. Police released surveillance footage showing Weitzman approaching the restaurant, confirming Yusvaev's presence, and then waiting outside. He is seen approaching the victim near a staircase and shooting him in the head at close range before fleeing in a car stolen two years prior in Petah Tikva.

Weitzman was apprehended in a warehouse in Hadera, where he was hiding with a woman unaware of his involvement in the murder. Elite police unit YAMAM, alongside detectives from the Hof and Menashe police districts, arrested him. Police believe Yusvaev's criminal rivals collaborated to orchestrate his assassination. Four suspects were initially detained, including the 23-year-old son of Yusvaev's arch-enemy, who used the same stolen vehicle. While DNA evidence linked the son to the car, investigators could not prove his direct involvement in planning the murder.

Police described Yusvaev as a crime boss who had been a long-term target for the coastal district police. Despite multiple arrests and involvement in serious investigations over the years, no significant charges were ever filed against him. In November 2025, a court considered extending his remand on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, with police stating he led a local criminal organization. In 2023, Yusvaev was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a series of arson attacks on dozens of vehicles in Or Akiva and Hadera.

The police utilized both covert and overt investigative methods, including technological, intelligence, and forensic tools. While several individuals were detained during the investigation, only Weitzman, identified as the shooter, remains in custody. Authorities have vowed to continue the hunt for those who commissioned the murder as the trial against Weitzman begins.