A resident of the Arab-Israeli town of Baqa al-Gharbiya has turned himself in to police in connection with the murder of 27-year-old security guard Katie David Saturday.
The suspect, who is in his 20s, arrived at the police station accompanied by his attorney. Another suspect in the crime who also resides in Baqa al-Gharbiya was also detained.
The special investigative team set up to look into the murder has interrogated both suspects and has not discounted any possibility, with both criminal and terror-related motives being examined. Meanwhile, officials said the suspect who turned himself in knew David. Police say the suspect is cooperating with investigators and told them about his involvement in the murder.
Police launched the investigation into the murder after finding David’s body and soon discovered some of her friends resided in Baqa al-Gharbiya. Shortly thereafter, investigators were able to pin-point suspects in connection with the killing.
Body discovered in grove
David was working as a security guard for about six months and finished her Saturday shift at a Netanya shopping mall at 11 p.m. After the shift, she was picked up in a vehicle. Her body was discovered Sunday by a hiker in a grove. David was still wearing her security guard uniform and investigators found indications of severe violence on her upper body, apparently as a result of blows delivered by an iron or wooden rod.
According to findings at the scene, it appeared David attempted to fight off her attackers before succumbing to the violence directed at her.
On Monday, an unknown group calling itself the “Galilee’s Freedom Brigades” claimed responsibility for the murder and said it was committed in order to avenge the killing of four Arab-Israelis by a Jewish terrorist in Shfaram earlier this year.
However, a police official who spoke to Ynet dismissed the statement as “rubbish.”
Raanan Ben-Zur contributed to the story