Police Capture Last Suspect in Eldar Dayan Murder Case in Petah Tikva

The Israeli police have completed the arrest of all five suspects involved in the violent altercation that led to the death of 23-year-old Eldar Yitzhak Dayan from Dimona. The final suspect, who had been on the run, was apprehended during a court hearing on Tuesday concerning the extension of detention for other suspects. This arrest concludes the manhunt for the group involved in the fight near the Yarkon River in Petah Tikva, which escalated into a fatal assault.

The group of five had arranged to meet Dayan and his friends at the scene, where a violent brawl broke out. Police arrested the suspects in stages: two initially, followed by two more, and finally the fifth suspect who had evaded capture until now. Investigations revealed that the suspects repeatedly kicked Dayan in the head, causing severe brain hemorrhaging that led to his death.

During the chaotic fight, Dayan and his friends attempted to flee in a vehicle, which struck and lightly injured one of the rival group members. The four suspects previously detained were initially not directly linked to the murder, but with new evidence and the capture of the fifth suspect, all five are now held under serious suspicion of direct involvement in the killing.

Conflicting testimonies from Dayan’s friends, who were also arrested, complicated the investigation. One claimed they were attacked by unknown assailants, while another denied the incident altogether. Authorities are also examining whether Dayan’s friends knowingly abandoned him while he was severely injured.

The case began on July 16 when Dayan disappeared after sending brief, worrying messages to his sister and girlfriend. His abandoned car, found last month in Petah Tikva with a broken window and bloodstains, was located about 200 meters from where his body was discovered three weeks later. The police continue to piece together the full sequence of events and each suspect’s role in the murder.