Israeli Police Officer Investigated for Obstructing Murder Inquiry in Jerusalem Airbnb Case

The Jerusalem unit of the Police Investigations Department questioned a female traffic police officer on Wednesday under suspicion of obstructing justice and breach of trust in the investigation of the murder of 19-year-old Benyahu Razi. The murder occurred in an Airbnb apartment in Jerusalem. The officer denied the allegations during her interrogation.

According to the investigation, the officer is related to one of the main suspects and met with two suspects shortly after the murder. During this meeting, she was informed about the incident and allegedly took actions that could have hindered the investigation before suspects were arrested. The officer stated that her sister, the central suspect, and another suspect visited her home on Saturday night, reporting they had been confined and beaten by several men in the apartment but managed to escape when the men fell asleep.

The police said the officer failed to report this information to law enforcement authorities as required. After questioning, she was released with restrictions including three days of house arrest, an eight-day ban on approaching the case’s involved parties, and a prohibition on contacting them.

Benyahu Razi was fatally stabbed last Saturday in the Nahalat neighborhood of Jerusalem. Emergency teams transported him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his wounds. Seven suspects, including teenagers and a mother of one of the suspects, were arrested. The mother allegedly facilitated communication between suspects and helped some escape after the murder. Police claim the murder was broadcast live to two young women, whose detention was extended until Thursday.

Among the suspects are 19-year-old Shilat Huta and 50-year-old Linor Sasson. Sasson was convicted in late 2024 in a plea deal for running a high-interest loan racket with her son, extorting vulnerable individuals. Benyahu’s mother, Dikla Razi, criticized the police in a Ynet interview, calling the murder a failure of law enforcement. She said she had warned the police as early as August 25 and submitted evidence but no action was taken, which might have prevented the killing. She described the murder as barbaric and inhumane, noting reports of live video streaming and extreme violence, and expressed disbelief at the cruelty involved despite her efforts to raise her son properly.