Suspect in quadruple murder in Northern Israel says ‘I ask God for forgiveness’
The man accused of murdering four people on Saturday had his remand extended by 10 days at the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court on Sunday.
During his remand hearing the suspect said, “I ask God for forgiveness.”
The suspect is accused of murdering his wife, two kids and a neighbor’s child who was at his house in the northern town of Migdal.
The suspect’s state-appointed attorney, Erez Moskowitz, called the incident “a serious tragedy.” Moskowitz said the suspect was ordered by the court to undergo a psychological evaluation.
Police are still trying to determine the motive. The suspect’s name remains under gag order as not to hinder the investigation. He was arrested in a field 250 meters from the apartment where the victims were found stabbed to death.
The victims have been named as 23-year-old Dor Sela, the suspect’s wife, and his two children, twoyear-old Yosef and eight-month-old Binyamin, as well as Nahman Atia, five, who lived next door. Nahman’s brother Natan, 11, was also stabbed and wounded, but survived and was released from the hospital in time to attend his brother’s funeral on Sunday.
Natan, 10, told first responders that he played dead and was able to escape the scene through a window with only light wounds.
Israel Atia, the father of the boys who were in the apartment during the stabbing spree, was quoted by Channel 2 as saying “the father, who is the suspect in the murders, invited the children to a Shabbat meal.”
Dor Sela’s uncle said there had been no signs that such an incident could occur.
“There weren’t any problems; there were no signs,” he told Channel 2. “Everything was okay; there was nothing peculiar.”
The suspect’s family released a statement on Sunday in which they said they were shocked and in pain from the magnitude of the tragedy.
“We cannot, and will never be able to comprehend and wake up from the nightmare that is encompassing us. We cannot atone for this loathsome act and we all sympathize with everyone’s feelings,” the statement read. “We ask for forgiveness and absolution, and you, our grandchildren and daughter-in-law, and the son of our dear neighbors, may you rest in peace.”
The family added that they would have liked to attend the funeral but were respecting the wishes of the victims’ families not to attend.