New details have emerged in the investigation into the death of a man in Petah Tikva, a case that has now been reclassified as a suspected murder involving a well-known Israeli model. Police sources said the body of the man, who was found near a residential building about a week and a half ago, showed signs of stab wounds and possible drug involvement.
At first, police believed the man had taken his own life after jumping out of a window, but the autopsy conducted at the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine revealed injuries that investigators say point to foul play. The case, which was initially treated as a suicide, is now being handled as a suspected homicide.
According to the investigation, the victim had been in the model’s apartment in Petah Tikva along with three other individuals. The group allegedly used drugs, and at some point an argument broke out. The man was assaulted, and one of those present is suspected of stabbing him. He then jumped or fell from a window, landed on a fence and was killed instantly.
Four suspects have been arrested, including the model, who in the past served as a key witness in an international criminal investigation conducted by Israeli police and Interpol. Her attorneys said she has no prior criminal record and was “in complete shock” over her arrest.
“This is the first time in her life she has found herself in such a situation,” her legal team said. “She has never been involved in any criminal activity.”
The Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court has extended the detention of all four suspects for a week, until Thursday. Several of them have provided statements and are cooperating with investigators, police said.
The victim’s father, who is serving a life sentence for murdering his wife, petitioned the Central District Court and the Israel Prison Service for permission to attend his son’s funeral. Despite objections from prison authorities and police, the court allowed him to leave for several hours to attend the shiva, the traditional seven-day mourning period.
Police have not released an official statement about the case, and a gag order remains in place restricting publication of further details.