The Haifa District Attorney's Office filed a severe indictment this morning at the Haifa District Court against 36-year-old Ohad Arad from Binyamina, for the murder of his 41-year-old older brother, Asa Arad. The incident occurred at the end of July on the family property in the moshav of Ein Ayala. According to the indictment, the murder was committed following a long-standing dispute regarding inheritance and finances. The State alleges that the defendant attacked his brother while he was in a trailer located near their mother's house, struck him forcefully on the head, and strangled him to death.
A pathological report attached to the investigation materials details a series of injuries and pressure marks on the neck, which, according to the prosecution, indicate strangulation as the cause of death. The prosecution has requested that the court order Arad's detention until the conclusion of legal proceedings. The case is expected to be heard by a panel of three judges. The investigation was conducted by the Central Unit of the Menashe District and the Tirat Carmel station, while awaiting pathological findings and a psychiatric assessment to determine the defendant's fitness to stand trial.
In contrast, the defendant's attorney, Baruch Geva, denied the charges, claiming this is an incorrect version of events. According to the defense, the defendant did not harm his brother but rather attempted to provide assistance and performed resuscitation efforts after finding him injured. The attorney added that claims of an inheritance dispute are not consistent with reality, as he claims previous disputes were resolved in prior legal proceedings and through a community court.
It should be noted that in 2022, an indictment was filed against Arad at the Hadera Magistrate's Court, which included charges of theft, assault, and property damage directed at his brother and mother, indicating a history of family tension. At this stage, the criminal proceeding is at its inception in the District Court, and the defendant enjoys the presumption of innocence until a verdict is reached.