All Suspects in Eldar Dayan Case Released as Cause of Death Remains Unknown

After nearly a month of investigation and arrests, all seven suspects in the Eldar Dayan case were released from custody on Monday. The final forensic report from the Institute of Forensic Medicine concluded that the cause of Dayan's death could not be determined, leaving the central question of the investigation unresolved. The police now suspect Maxim Berberman and Omri Peretz of attempted murder and obstruction of justice, pending further forensic findings, and the court ordered them to remain under house arrest until August 27 with financial guarantees.

Berberman and Peretz, friends of Dayan initially suspected of premeditated murder, were held for about 30 days before being released under restrictive conditions. Their lawyers criticized the police for shifting the charges from murder to attempted murder without formal documentation or sufficient evidence, emphasizing the heavy toll the prolonged detention has had on their clients, who have been publicly labeled as murderers despite the lack of conclusive proof.

The other five suspects, Yosef Wobnech, Angada Sisai, Almaken Adona, Moshe Reta, and Avraham Vorko, were also released to house arrest with financial conditions. They were initially arrested for involvement in a July 18 brawl during which Dayan was assaulted. However, the forensic report failed to link the fight conclusively to Dayan's death, which occurred shortly after the incident.

Defense attorneys highlighted the absence of forensic evidence tying their clients to Dayan's death and noted that some suspects were themselves victims of violence during the brawl. The court rejected requests to release the suspects without restrictions, citing the ongoing investigation and the incomplete forensic data.

The case began as a missing person investigation, with Dayan's remains found on August 6 near a gas station in Petah Tikva, an area previously searched multiple times without success. Despite reconstructions and witness testimonies, including threats allegedly made by Berberman, the cause of death remains unknown. The police continue to await additional forensic results, but the key question of how Eldar Dayan died remains unanswered.