Parents Outraged After Son's Killer Released Without Notice

The parents of Adir Rohker, who was murdered at age 16 in a youth boarding school, are expressing fury over the early release of the teenager convicted of his killing. Adir's parents, Ofra and Shimon Rohker, discovered that the perpetrator, who was sentenced to ten years in prison, had been released after serving less than nine years. They were particularly incensed that they received no notification of the decision and only learned about it through a journalist's inquiry.

Adir was fatally stabbed in February 2018 at the "Knaf Shel Ahava" (Wing of Love) boarding school for at-risk youth in Moshav Revaha. The prosecution stated that a dispute over a piece of bread escalated when a 17-year-old inmate stabbed Adir with a kitchen knife, leading to his death. The perpetrator was convicted of manslaughter and received a ten-year sentence, despite the prosecution's request for 12 to 17 years.

The Rohkers claim they were not given an opportunity to voice their position before the release decision was made. "This murderer murdered my son in cold blood, for no reason. This is unacceptable to me, I am very angry," said Ofra Rohker. She noted that the release occurred in September, with about a year and three months remaining on his sentence, and that the perpetrator was subsequently moved to a supervised hostel.

Their lawyer, Haya Manea, criticized the handling of the case, stating that the parents' stance should have been obtained before the release. "It is very serious that the State of Israel, which was negligent in its supervision, gave the stabber the reward of early release, without obtaining the parents' position before making the decision, as they were obligated to do by law," she stated.

The perpetrator's first request for early release in March was denied. A subsequent parole board hearing in September considered his remorse, payment arrangements for compensation, and participation in therapy and rehabilitation programs. The board noted his medium risk level but weighed the possibility of release into a supervised setting, alongside his personal circumstances, his status as a minor at the time of the offense, and his good conduct during incarceration.

In a civil case, the Rohker family reached a settlement with the state and its insurer for NIS 1.2 million in compensation, without an admission of liability. The parents described the profound family loss, as Adir was their only surviving child after their elder son died at age one, 28 years prior. They emphasized Adir was adopted and considered their biological child.