Copyright ynetnews
A model suspected of involvement in a murder in Petah Tikva dismissed her attorney on Tuesday morning, shortly before a court hearing on extending her detention. The hearing was held behind closed doors at the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court. At its conclusion, the court extended the woman’s detention until next Tuesday. At the same time, authorities lifted a partial gag order and identified another suspect in the case as David Krikhli, 36, a father of four from Be’er Yaakov. His detention was extended for eight days. The model is one of four suspects in the killing of Shalom Nissim, whose body was found outside her apartment. Nissim was the son of Asher Nissim, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence for killing his wife in 2001. A police representative told the court that the investigation had made progress and asked to lift the full gag order, saying leaks to the media had disrupted the probe. The model’s new attorney, from the Public Defender’s Office, requested that the order remain in place, and Judge Dan Baumann accepted the request. The model, who previously served as a key witness in another criminal case involving a modeling agent and was also questioned by Interpol, maintains she has no criminal record. Three other men remain in custody, including Krikhli, some of whom are known to police from previous criminal cases. During the hearing, police said the model had provided several conflicting versions of events. “The picture of what happened in the apartment is becoming clearer,” a police representative said. “We have received preliminary findings from the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and are awaiting toxicology results to determine whether the deceased was under the influence of drugs.” Krikhli’s attorney, Assaf Gonen, argued that police do not yet know the cause of death. “They cannot connect my client to the killing or determine whether the deceased jumped or fell,” Gonen said. “The suspect said the victim tried to harm my client. After two weeks, the reasonable suspicion has weakened. Her statements are inconsistent.” Judge Baumann ruled that there remains sufficient reasonable suspicion against Krikhli at this stage and extended his detention until Nov. 4. The judge also noted that “while the suspect is in custody, I heard her giving her version of events in a media interview.” Police suspect that her former lawyer brought a reporter to meet her, possibly posing the journalist as a legal intern, and that the conversation was recorded. According to the investigation, the group had been using drugs when Nissim arrived, leading to an argument. Police believe Nissim was assaulted and stabbed by one of those present before jumping—or being pushed—from a window. He landed on a fence and died instantly. At first, investigators thought Nissim had taken his own life. However, an autopsy at the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine revealed new evidence, leading police to reclassify the case as a suspected murder.
