Murder probe of couple’s deaths points to criminal motive, not terror

Israel Police and the Shin Bet have concluded that the killing of Olga and Ruslan Frihudko was criminal, not nationalist, and prosecutors are due to file an indictment today, Monday, against a teenage suspect from central Israel. The couple was found dead in their car on May 22 near Meshev Ayalon. The case was first treated as a suspected terror attack, but investigators say the evidence now rules that out.

The joint investigation by the Central District police’s major crimes unit and the Shin Bet found that the suspect knew the victims beforehand. Police said that relationship helped investigators reject the terror hypothesis and strengthen the criminal motive. They also recovered the weapon used in the killing during the probe.

According to investigators, the teen reenacted his route and the stages of the attack in a nighttime reconstruction at the scene. Police said that after the murder he tried to conceal his involvement, tamper with the inquiry, use the victims’ credit cards, and hide the gun.

Prosecutors will also file charges against two residents of the territories for shooting offenses and illegal entry into Israel, after investigators determined they had access to the murder weapon. District Police Commander Amir Cohen called it “a despicable murderer” and said the killer thought he could hide behind lies, concealment of evidence, manipulation, and obstruction of the investigation.