From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Prominent doctor gets life sentence for murdering his wife in 2019
Prominent doctor Giora Praff gets a life sentence for the 2019 murder of his wife Esti Ahronovitz.
Praff (also known as Perry) is also ordered to pay her family NIS 258,000 (approximately $70,500), the maximum amount of compensation that can be granted by law in such a case.
Praff, who has a history of domestic abuse, shot his wife five times, including two shots to the back of her head as she lay on the floor.
According to the Ynet news site, the judges at the Beersheba District Court determined that there were no mitigating circumstances for Praff’s actions and that therefore a life sentence was appropriate.
Praff is a well-known humanitarian doctor who took part in several international aid missions and was the first Israeli member of the Red Cross.
He was well regarded in Israel, the US, and other countries, but has confessed to domestic violence, and has been accused of stalking, assault, and harassment.
According to the indictment, Ahronovitz began taking legal action against Praff as part of a financial dispute over household expenses. Praff went on a trip overseas for the 10 days before the murder, during which time Ahronovitz began to move his belongings into a separate room in their home, and also hid his gun.
When Praff returned home, Ahronovitz informed him that she would only return the gun to him after he moved out.
On the day of the murder, Praff took possession of the gun and shot his wife five times. He left her bleeding on the floor and fled in his car.
The Times of Israel Community.