Bodies of Israeli sisters in Argentina found after son charged
Remains of Pyrhia Sarusi and Lily Pereg uncovered on property belonging to Gil Pereg, who was arrested Friday in deaths of mother and aunt
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The bodies of two Israeli sisters missing in Argentina were found Saturday, hours after their son and nephew was charged in their killings.
The remains of Pyrhia Sarusi, 63, and her sister Dr. Lily Pereg, 54, were found on the property of Gil Pereg in the city of Mendoza, according to the local press. Autopsy results released Sunday showed that at least one of the two had been shot.
Pereg, 36, was arrested Friday after bloodstains were found on a shirt and bag of cement in his home in Mendoza, in the northwest of the country.
Officers also reportedly found four guns, as well as euros, dollars, and pesos totaling $80,000, and dozens of cats and dogs.
Otro can de ESCAM y la retroexcavadora municipal entran a lugar donde buscan los cuerpos de las israelíes pic.twitter.com/Orv8PctfZC
— Pablo Montivero (@pablo_kmst) January 26, 2019
Sarusi and her sister, an associate professor of microbiology at the University of New England in Australia, were last seen on January 12 in Mendoza.
Prosecutor Claudia Rios said Pereg had been charged with aggravated homicide in the death of his mother and simple homicide in that of his aunt, the Mendoza Post reported.
Rios told reporters that after his arrest, Pereg said that if he were not permitted to go home and feed his cats, “you will find another body,” the news outlet reported.
Pereg was sent for psychological evaluation due to concerns he may attempt to harm himself, and has been transferred to the Boulogne Sur Mer prison, according to the report.
DNA evidence found at the scene was corroborated by footage showing three people going into Gil Pereg’s home, but only one person leaving, Rios said.
The women last communicated with families in Israel and Australia at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, January 11.
The next day they visited Gil Pereg, who is the local chairman of five companies established by his mother.
Hadashot TV news, citing Argentine media, reported that Gil Pereg was in a precarious financial situation.
JTA and AP contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.