Suspicion: Security guard murdered his mother's caretaker

Body of Moldovan nurse found in Ashkelon apartment; suspect detained with gun in hand

Neri Brenner|Published: 04.05.13 , 00:35

The body of a 45-year-old woman, a foreign worker from Moldova, was found in an apartment on Sinai Street in Ashkelon Thursday evening. Police suspect a 51-year-old security guard shot the woman, who worked as his geriatric mother's caretaker.

Magen David Adom paramedics who were alerted to the scene pronounced the woman dead. Gunshot wounds were found on her head. Large police forces arrived at the scene and arrested the security guard, who was apparently the one who reported the murder to the police. The suspect lives in the apartment with his mother and wife. The caretaker lived with them in the flat.

Ashkelon police chief Haim Bublil said the suspect was in possession of a gun at the time of his arrest.

סמוך לזירת הרצח, אמש (צילום: אבי רוקח)

Crowd outside apartment building where alleged murder occurred (Photo: Avi Roccah)

One of the building's tenants said, "I was watching a movie at home when I suddenly heard a number of shots. I thought it was children playing with firecrackers or something, and a few minutes later my son called me and asked if I knew a murder had taken place in the building. I would never have believed he (suspect) could kill someone."

Earlier Thursday, the Petah Tikva Magistrates Court extended by an additional eight days the remand of a security guard from Rosh Ha'ayin who is suspected of murdering his wife in their car in front of their 14-year-old daughter. The suspect continues to deny the allegations and claims he had discharged his weapon accidentally. However, he could not explain the fact that his wife was shot twice.

Two days ago Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch instructed his office to make certain that as of next month security guards be forbidden from taking their weapons home with them once they finish their shifts.