Jerusalem couple suspected of murdering neighbor, cutting up his body

After long-running feud, suspects alleged to have brutally killed Shlomo Sami Marciano, buried his body parts in a communal garden

By Alexander Fulbright 16 May 2017, 8:28 pm

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One of the suspects in the murder of Jerusalem resident Shlomo Sami Marciano is seen being led into court. (Screen capture: Channel 2)

Police arrested a couple from Jerusalem suspected of “brutally” murdering their neighbor, dismembering his body and burying the parts in a communal garden, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday.

According to a statement from police spokeswoman Luba Samri, the couple — whose names are being held under gag order — plotted the murder due to an unexplained long-running dispute with their neighbor, who was identified by Channel 2 as 59-year-old Shlomo Sami Marciano.

After murdering Marciano overnight Friday-Saturday, the couple spent the day cutting up his body and putting the pieces in plastic bags, which they later buried in a hole in the communal garden, Samri said.

The police statement did not specify how Marciano was murdered, but police photos of the weapons used to kill and dismember him showed knifes, an ax and a bolt cutter, as well as other tools.

While disposing of Marciano’s body parts early Saturday morning, the couple were spotted by two youths in Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood where they live, who reported to police that they saw the couple wheeling a large black bag on a cart.

A few hours later, a friend of Marciano’s arrived at the Oz police station in Armon Hanatziv and told police that after being unable to reach Marciano for a few days, he went his home and found the door open.

Weapons that police said were used by a Jerusalem couple to murder Shlomo Sami Marciano. (Police spokesperson)

After connecting the two reports, police arrived at Marciano’s home to collect evidence, which eventually led them to the couple.

Searches of the couple’s home and the surrounding area revealed some of the tools used in the murder, Samri said.

The couple, said to be immigrants from Russia, were then arrested on Sunday.

Police later searched the garden and uncovered the body parts that the couple buried, Samri said.

Following their arrest, a court extended their remand until May 24.

Laywers for the male suspect said their client has a history of mental problems for which he has received treatment, according to Channel 2. A lawyer representing the female suspect also said that she has a history of mental issues.