71-year-old lawyer stabbed to death in front of his wife
Victim identified as Ephraim Arnon; ‘It only took a few seconds,’ wife says
A 71-year-old man was stabbed to death early Wednesday morning at the entrance to his home in Nesher, near the northern city of Haifa.
The man was later identified as Ephraim Arnon, a civil attorney.
Arnon was declared dead by Magen David Adom medics shortly after the attack.
His wife, Ruth Arnon, saw the killing take place outside their home. She said two men attacked her husband as he was leaving for work.
“Suddenly masked men came with knives and stabbed him hysterically. They didn’t utter a sound. It took a few seconds,” she told Channel 12 news.
הרצח בנשר | עורך הדין שנדקר הבוקר למוות בפתח ביתו לעיני רעייתו הוא אפרים ארנון. המשטרה ממשיכה בחיפושים אחר הרוצחיםhttps://t.co/rirJkZO4h5
(מיכל וסרמן) pic.twitter.com/84YmaLoTsj— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 24, 2021
Ruth said the attack happened very quickly.
“He did not have time to leave the house,” she said. “They stabbed him and I screamed. My daughter lives next door and I called for her husband. It only took 20 seconds and he fell down the stairs. No one said a word.”
“We have been married for 49 years, we have two girls and four grandchildren,” she said in tears. “He was an amazing husband, father and grandfather, a best friend.”
Medics arrived at the scene after receiving a call that Arnon was injured. After assessing his injuries and attempting to give him medical treatment, they were forced to declare him dead.
The 71-year-old, who was still practicing law, was covered in stab wounds.
Police opened an investigation and were searching for suspects. Forensic specialists were also involved and were collecting evidence at the scene.
“When we arrived at the scene, we saw the wounded man lying unconscious with no pulse and not breathing, with stab wounds and bleeding injuries on his body,” said an MDA medic.
“We performed medical tests and gave him medical treatment, but his injuries were very severe and we had no choice but to declare him dead.”
Arnon’s daughter spoke with Channel 12 news, declaring she was “in complete shock.”
“I am on my way from the center to Haifa,” she said. “I am still figuring out how to breathe. It is absolutely shocking. It’s almost Passover, I was busy figuring out what gifts to buy. Everything was normal, totally normal.”
Talia Edri, who lived next to the Arnons, told Channel 12 that her neighbors were a “lovely family” that had lived in the neighborhood for over ten years.
