Homeless Man Charged With Murder of Bnei Brak Scholar in Front of His Son

Israel’s State Prosecutor filed an indictment on Sunday in Tel Aviv District Court against 45-year-old Guy Achtlinger, a homeless man, accusing him of aggravated murder in the killing of a 53-year-old religious scholar at a study hall in Bnei Brak. Prosecutors also asked to keep him in custody until the end of proceedings.

According to the indictment, Achtlinger and the victim knew each other from Torah study at the local kollel. About a week before the killing, he allegedly threatened the man, saying, “I’ll cut off your head.” The prosecution says that at some later point, for reasons not yet known, he decided to kill him.

Several days later, Achtlinger allegedly came to the kollel carrying a knife and wearing a glove. The victim was sitting on a bench with his 13-year-old son, both facing away from the entrance. Achtlinger approached from behind and, in full view of the boy, stabbed the father several times in the neck and once in the back, intending to kill him.

He then fled and, according to the indictment, hid the jacket he had worn, the glove and the knife in an abandoned building nearby to destroy evidence. He later traveled to Beit Shemesh, where police arrested him hours later. The victim collapsed at the scene, was evacuated to Sheba Medical Center unconscious and suffering massive bleeding, and was declared dead shortly after arrival. Prosecutors also charged Achtlinger with child abuse for forcing the boy to witness the murder, and obstruction of justice for concealing the evidence.