Binyamina Resident Indicted for Murdering Brother Over Inheritance Dispute
The Haifa District Attorney's Office filed a severe indictment against Ohad Arad, 36, for the murder of his older brother Asa, 41, in Moshav Ein Ayala following a long-standing financial conflict.
The Haifa District Attorney's Office filed a severe indictment on Sunday with the Haifa District Court against Ohad Arad, 36, from Binyamina, charging him with the murder of his older brother, Asa Arad, 41, at the family estate in Moshav Ein Ayala.
According to the indictment, Ohad, a father of one whose wife is in an advanced stage of pregnancy, murdered his brother due to a multi-year inheritance and financial dispute. The conflict was widely known throughout the Hof HaCarmel Regional Council. The prosecution states that Ohad beat and strangled his brother inside his residential trailer, leaving him to die, before leaving the moshav and picking up a sushi order for his partner.
The investigation was conducted over more than a month by the Menashe District Central Unit, delayed by pending autopsy reports from the Abu Kabir National Institute of Forensic Medicine and a psychiatric evaluation from Sha'ar Menashe Hospital, which deemed the defendant fit to stand trial. Prosecutor Najwa Suleiman requested that Ohad be remanded in custody until the end of the legal proceedings.
The Crime and Forensic Evidence
The murder occurred on the morning of July 30. Ohad Arad, a physically large individual and former Shayetet commando, arrived by car at Moshav Ein Ayala, where his brother Asa lived in a trailer near their mother's house. Arad failed to provide investigators with a plausible explanation for leaving his mobile phone in Kerem Maharal, or for driving there with his mother to retrieve it after knowing his brother was dead, before contacting the police.
The indictment alleges that between 09:06 and 11:30, Ohad entered the trailer where Asa was naked and assaulted him with intent to cause his death. He struck him severely in the head and eye and strangled him. The pathological report described extensive injuries, including neck trauma, a fractured laryngeal cartilage, and hemorrhaging in the tongue and neck muscles, consistent with strangulation. Professor Chen Kugel is scheduled to testify during the trial.
According to the charges, Ohad left the trailer after killing his brother. Around 12:35, when their mother arrived and met him near the trailer, he told her that Asa was dead. Ohad left the moshav at 14:28, and the mother called emergency services only at 14:55. First responders found Asa Arad dead on the floor.
Post-Incident Conduct and Family History
Prosecutors express high confidence in a conviction, citing biological evidence, security footage, communication logs, and neighbor testimonies. A wheelbarrow found in the trunk of Ohad's car contained blood stains. Furthermore, Ohad's blood was found on a mattress in the trailer, and a mixture of both brothers' blood was detected in the victim's ear.
After leaving the scene, Ohad retrieved his phone in Kerem Maharal, picked up a sushi order in Netanya at 15:15, showered, washed his clothes, and went for a walk with his partner without mentioning his brother's death. He was arrested at her apartment around 18:00.
During interrogation, Ohad claimed he found his brother unresponsive and attempted CPR, during which Asa fell and hit his head. The prosecution noted he failed to explain why he did not call for medical help, left his brother for hours, and went to pick up sushi.
The victim's mother, Sandra, testified about a history of physical abuse and jealousy from Ohad toward Asa since childhood. The conflict intensified after their father transferred the family farm to Asa, leading to a restraining order against Ohad. In 2022, Ohad Arad was convicted of violence and threats against his brother. He is represented by attorney Baruch Gidon.
