Engaged couple found dead in Carmel woods
Man found hanging from tree, with his fiancé's body lying nearby; police investigate possible murder-suicide that occurred amid family feud
The bodies of a young engaged couple were found on Saturday in the Carmel Forest, prompting the police to investigate the possibility of a murder-suicide, or even a double suicide, committed amid a family feud.
A hiker walking down a western Carmel trail on Saturday morning noticed a suspicious vehicle parked in the woods, and decided to approach it. It was then that he discovered the body of Hakim Kayouf, 26, hanging from a tree. He alerted the authorities, who found the body of the young man's fiancé, Iham Qadur, 19, who was evidently stabbed to death.
An initial probe found that the deaths occurred hours before the bodies were found. The night before, Qadur's two brothers, residents of the Druze village of Daliyat al-Karmel, were arrested for assaulting Kayouf, a garage owner from Isfiya, another Druze village. The families of the young woman and her fiancé appeared to be in a disagreement, the nature of which is unknown as of yet.
The couple (Photo: Panet website)
Chief Superintendent Shimon Ben-Shabo of the Zikhron Yaakov police said that the investigators have yet to rule out any scenario, including that of a double homicide. He said that signs of violence were found on both bodies, but did not address the possibility that the marks on Kayouf's body were a result of the previous night's attack.
Ofer Yaakov, a paramedic, told Ynet that the two were pronounced dead on the scene.
Family members of the deceased arrived on site during the day but were denied access by the police.
A public official in Isfiya told Ynet that Qadur's family identified the case as a murder-suicide, while Kayuf's family cried foul play.
"I think that there are people who wanted both of them dead," he said. "It was a trick. They murdered both of them and hung Hakim to make the police think he murdered her and then committed suicide."
Isfiya Mayor Wajia Kayuf said that the incident caused a stir in the town.
"We are doing everything to calm the families down," he said. "We are in touch with the police and are following the investigation."
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