Indictment in Bennett case: Murder for sake of murder
Full horror of American-Israeli Dana Bennett's murder revealed as indictment issued against Yihya Farkhan and his then-16-year-old accomplice girlfriend. Farkhan indicted on three counts of murder, and rape of call girl. Dana's mother, Vikki Bennett: I hope Farkhan and Y. suffer like my daughter suffered
The indictment: Serial killer with no motive, murder for the sake of murder. The full extent of the outrageous story of Dana Bennett's disappearance and murder six years ago was revealed Thursday morning as an indictment was filed against Yihya Farkhan on three counts of murder.
"Dana Bennett pleaded for her life, but he continued to wail his fists on her until she collapsed. He ripped her shirt, forcefully pulled off her bra, and choked her with it. In order to ensure she was dead, he stomped on her stomach… afterwards, he set her body on fire," the indictment detailed.
Farkhan, 33, of Wadi Hamam, was indicted in the Nazareth District Court for the murders of Bennet, Czech tourist Sylvia Molrova, and Aharon Simahov, his cellmate in a Tiberias prison. Simahov's brother, Arnold Ashorov, and delegates from the Czech Embassy also were present for the deliberations.
Farkhan is also being indicted for raping a call girl. The indictment does not include the fourth person he admitted to murdering in 1994 near the Sea of Galilee. An indictment was also issued against Farkhan's ex-girlfriend, Y., who was then 16-years-old, for being an accomplice to some of his crimes.
At Ynet's behest, the Nazareth District Court cleared for publication information that Y. was indicted for the murder of Bennett, and the attempted murder of Molrova.
'I don't know where I'm getting my strength from'
Dana's mother, Vikki Bennett, was present in the courtroom for Thursday's deliberations. "I intend to follow the entire trial and know that it won't be easy," she told Ynet. "This is a very difficult morning.
Vikki Bennet broke out in tears when the murderer stepped into the courtroom. After the deliberations, she said, "It was much more difficult for me to see him face-to-face. On Farkhan's claims that he is innocent, she said, "I expected that. I took it all into account. Today, there is someone leading him. He has a lawyer. I don't know how anyone can defend such a psychotic murderer."
Dana's mother, Vikki, in the courtroom with her partner (Photo: Hagai Aharon)
"I just know that I have to be strong throughout this. I know that there is still a difficult road ahead of me, and, therefore, I must continue to be strong. I never would have imagined that I could be this strong in such situations. I always felt like a delicate, fragile woman who isn't capable of handling difficult things," said Vikki.
Dana's mother didn't spare any harsh words from Y., the young woman who accompanied Farkhan during his murders. "I think of her as a kind of murderer herself. Just as he murdered, so did she. Only she could have prevented the murder of my daughter. It would have been enough if she had told about the murder of the Czech tourist for my daughter to be spared. I expect her to be convicted of murder and wish upon both of them to suffer the way my daughter suffered in the last 20 minutes of her life as long as they are still breathing," said Vikki.
His girlfriend watched the atrocities
The murder of Dana Bennet has been reconstructed as follows. In August 2003, Farkhan and his girlfriend drove to Tiberias at night. When they approached the city's stadium, they noticed Bennet. Farkhan's girlfriend Y. got out of the car and introduced herself to Bennett as an employee of a hotel owned by Farkhan. She told Bennett that she needed some reinforcements in the hotel for a few hours and that Bennett would be paid a few hundred shekels in exchange. Bennett agreed to help out and got in the car.
Vikki Bennet at spot where her daughter's remains located (Photo: Avihu Shapira)
Farkhan drove in the direction of the village Migdal, but deviated to Ofer Road, which leads to the olive groves bordering Wadi Hamam. He stopped the car, claiming that both he and Y. needed to relieve themselves. Bennett, uncomfortable about staying in the car alone, also got out of the car to accompany Y.
When she got out of the car, Farkhan delivered a strong blow to her face. Dana pleaded for her life, but Farkhan continued to rain blows on her until she collapsed. He then ripped her shirt, forcefully pulled off her bra, and chocked her with it. Y. stood and watched Farkhan as he committed these acts.
In order to ensure that she was really dead, Farkhan stomped on Dana's stomach. He then asked Y. to drag Dana's lifeless body to an abandoned car nearby. The two of them covered the body with dry leaves and bramble. They then drove to a nearby gas station, filled up a container with gas, and returned to the site to burn Bennett's body.
"The murder was premeditated since the defendant and Y. decided to kill her and killed her in cold blood, without any provocation prior to the event," wrote the prosecution's attorneys Iris Shiran and Tomer Swartz in the indictment.
When she stopped moving, they laid stones on her body
Farkhan's first count of murder took place in July 2003 when he offered to give Czech tourist Sylvia Molrova a ride home to the Golan Heights from a pub she was partying in at the Sea of Galilee. However, instead of driving her home, he drove to the home of Y., who was then Farkhan's girlfriend. The two drove with the tourist to Zalmon Stream, where Farkhan took Molrova, who was intoxicated, on his shoulders. She tried to get away, but to not avail. Farkhan held her by her hair and strangled her with a thin cable he had in his possession.
Zalmon Stream. 'Farkhan held her head under water' (Photo: Gil Eliyahu)
Farkhan and Y. were concerned that Molrova was perhaps still alive, so Y. suggested they drown her in the Zalmon Stream. Farkhan held Molrova's head under the water as Y. stood on her legs. When the Czech tourist stopped moving, the two placed large stones on her body to keep it from floating.
The third count of murder occurred in 2004 when Farkhan was detained in a Tiberias police station, where he shared a cell with six other detainees. Aharon Simahov was placed in Farkhan's cell after a skirmish broke out. Farkhan, it is claimed in the indictment, decided to murder Simahov because he believed Simahov collaborated with the police, incriminating another detainee in his testimony.
While the other detainees were asleep, Simahov went to the shower, where Farkhan punched him in the face and strangled him using a string he pulled from his pants, according to the indictment. Farkhan used the string to tie Simahov to the window bars and left him there under the running water. For years, investigators believed that Simahov had commit suicide.
Farkhan was also indicted for rape and abduction. In September 2005, he met an escort, raped her, and threatened her with a knife. Once he lead her out of his apartment towards his car, where Y. was waiting the whole time, she managed to free herself of him and get away.
