Full Breakdown
Jerusalem Court Keeps Mother of Suspect in Custody as Murder Case Continues
By Drooid · · How we work
Court Ruling on Detention
The Jerusalem District Court ordered that Linor Sasson remain in custody and declined her request for house arrest with electronic monitoring. The court also directed the Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry’s Probation Service to submit an assessment within 30 days, and scheduled a hearing to reconsider her detention on October 22. At the same hearing, the court extended the pre-trial detention of six suspects charged in the killing of Benayahu Razi. A decision on Sasson’s request for release has not yet been issued.
Background of the July 11 Murder
On July 11, 19-year-old Benayahu Razi was stabbed to death in an Airbnb-style apartment in Jerusalem’s Nahlaot (Nachlaot) neighborhood; his friend was also wounded. Prosecutors filed indictments in August against 19-year-old Agam Tzarfati (spelled “Agam Tsarafi” in another report), 20-year-old Shilat Houta, and four minors aged roughly 15-17. The indictment alleges that the group assembled at Sasson’s home after Tzarfati and Houta claimed Razi and his friend had attacked them in an earlier dispute. Sasson is said to have driven the group toward the rented apartment, warned them not to act, and later helped the perpetrators flee the scene.
Key Figures
- Linor Sasson – Mother of Avior Sasson, one of the four minor defendants; charged with assisting after the fact and obstruction of justice.
- Avior Sasson – Minor charged in the murder case.
- Benayahu Razi – Victim, 19, stabbed to death.
- Dikla Razi – Mother of the victim, who publicly confronted Shilat Houta’s mother during the hearing.
- Agam Tzarfati / Agam Tsarafi – 19-year-old suspect.
- Shilat Houta – 20-year-old suspect.
Legal Process and Upcoming Hearing
Sasson faces charges of accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice; she is not accused of participating directly in the stabbing. Prosecutors opposed her immediate release, citing her criminal record, but agreed to the Probation Service’s assessment. The court’s decision to keep her detained and to extend the six suspects’ custody reflects the preliminary evidence standard, which does not determine guilt. The main trial has not yet begun, and the next procedural step will be the October 22 hearing on Sasson’s status.
Reactions and Ongoing Tensions
Prosecutors continue to argue that Sasson’s involvement in aiding the escape warrants continued detention, while her defense seeks alternatives to incarceration. The case remains under active judicial review, with further developments expected after the scheduled October hearing.