Suspects Reconstruct Events Leading to Eldar Dayan's Death Near Petah Tikva

One of the suspects in the murder of Eldar Dayan accompanied investigators from the Sharon District Police to reconstruct the events that occurred about three weeks ago near Petah Tikva. According to the suspect's account, the incident began with a confrontation in a grove near the Yarkon River, where Dayan and two friends were approached by a group of local youths. A verbal dispute escalated into a physical fight. During the altercation, the three men fled in Dayan's car, believing they had hit one of the youths clinging to the vehicle's window. This belief prompted them to change the car's license plate near a gas station and hide the vehicle, fearing police pursuit for a hit-and-run.

The suspect revealed that the car was uninsured and driven without a license during the escape. The group then split up; two of the men, Maxim and Omri, fled ahead and hid in a nearby tunnel, while Dayan remained behind and was lost from their sight. The two believed Dayan had escaped on his own, despite being injured in the fight. During the reconstruction, the suspect surprisingly recovered a mobile phone he had dropped in a water well inside the tunnel.

Following the fight, the two friends left the area on foot and later took a bus to Dimona, where they informed Dayan's ex-partner and family about the incident. Under pressure from Dayan's family, they eventually shared their version with the police, though initially they remained silent, hoping Dayan was still alive. Police recorded a conversation between the two suspects in a vehicle, where they expressed anger at Dayan for complicating their situation.

A breakthrough came last week when Dayan's body was found near the search area, shifting the investigation to a murder inquiry. The Central District Police commander transferred the case to the Sharon District Police, and the two friends became murder suspects. Their defense attorneys advised full cooperation with investigators, and since then, the suspects have been more forthcoming. Investigators are awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death, though decomposition may limit conclusive findings. Meanwhile, members of the youth group involved in the initial fight have also been questioned. A court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow to consider extending the suspects' detention.