Israeli man convicted in Argentina of murdering mother, aunt found dead in jail cell – report

8 July 2024, 7:32 am 2 Edit

Gil Pereg is arrested as a suspect of his mother's and aunt's murders in Mendoza, Argentina, January 26, 2019. (Patricio Caneo/Los Andes via AP)

An Israeli man jailed in Argentina for murdering his mother and aunt was found dead in his cell, reports say.

A jury in Argentina convicted Gil Pereg for the killings in 2021. He was handed a life sentence, requiring him to serve at least 35 years in prison.

The Ynet news outlet, citing El Sol, says he was found unconscious in his cell and despite efforts to revive him, was declared dead at a hospital.

It is unclear if there is suspicion of foul play.

Pereg was arrested and charged with homicide after the remains of his mother, Pyrhia Sarusi, 63, and her sister Dr. Lily Pereg, 54, an associate professor of microbiology at the University of New England in Australia, were found on his property in the city of Mendoza in January 2019.

The two were traveling in Argentina at the time of their murders. They had been missing for two weeks before their bodies were found under debris in the home.

Pereg’s uncle said at the time that his nephew was mentally ill, in financial dire straits, and lived in squalor with dozens of cats.