Beniahu Razi
Beniahu Razi was the victim of a high-profile murder in Jerusalem's Nahlaot neighborhood, leading to a complex criminal investigation involving multiple suspects, a fugitive manhunt, and allegations of assistance from an Israel Prison Service officer.
Beniahu Razi was murdered in July 2026 in an apartment in the Nahlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem. The case gained significant public attention due to the brutal nature of the attack and the subsequent 15-day manhunt for the primary suspect, 17-year-old Avior Sasson. According to the investigation and subsequent indictments, the incident was characterized by meticulous planning and the involvement of several individuals, including minors and family members of the suspects.
The prosecution alleges that the murder was preceded by a 'toxic relationship' between Razi and Agam Tzrafi, an active-duty IDF soldier and Razi's former partner. On the night of the murder, Tzrafi and another individual, Shilat Huta, allegedly entered the apartment first, followed by an armed group including Avior Sasson and three minors. During the attack, a friend of Razi who attempted to intervene was also assaulted and stabbed. The indictment further reveals that Linor Shashon, Avior's mother, allegedly drove the armed group to the scene and later helped them flee, despite reportedly urging them not to 'finish' the victim during the event.
The investigation took a dramatic turn when it was discovered that Avior Sasson had been hiding with criminal organizations in northern Israel. He was allegedly aided by his brother—an inmate—and an Israel Prison Service (IPS) officer who was in a romantic relationship with the brother. The officer reportedly provided a mobile phone used to coordinate Sasson's hiding spots. Sasson was eventually apprehended in a taxi at the Harel Tunnel on Highway 1 while attempting to return to Jerusalem after altering his appearance. In August 2026, the State Attorney's Office filed indictments against seven individuals involved in the murder, obstruction of justice, and aiding the fugitive. The defense for some of the minor suspects has claimed the event was an unplanned escalation rather than a premeditated murder.