"The screams you heard are from the TV": Man indicted for murdering his grandfather's caregiver in Jerusalem
Three weeks after 31-year-old Avior Zaken stabbed an Indian caregiver to death, an indictment has been filed against him. The victim attempted to escape but collapsed from blood loss. The defendant falsely claimed the victim had committed suicide. The prosecutor stated: "The deceased met his death in a violent manner for no known motive."
Avior Zaken (31) from Eilat was indicted this Friday for the murder of Indian citizen Rajiv Acharya, who served as his grandfather's caregiver in Jerusalem. The prosecution has requested that the District Court order Zaken's detention until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
According to the indictment filed by Adv. Jenny Avni of the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, Zaken arrived at his grandparents' home three weeks ago for lunch. The victim, who lived in the house while caring for the grandfather, retired to his room after the meal. Shortly thereafter, Zaken entered the room and, during their conversation, decided to kill him. He used a sharp, honed object to stab the victim in the neck, chest, ear, and nose with the intent to cause death.
The victim struggled and screamed for help. When Zaken's grandmother asked from the living room about the source of the noise, he falsely claimed the sounds were coming from the television. About a minute later, the victim attempted to escape toward the living room, where he collapsed and died from massive blood loss. Immediately afterward, Zaken told his grandparents that the victim had committed suicide.
While the victim was bleeding out, Zaken moved the rug and the body to prevent bloodstains. He then changed his shirt, washed the blood from his hands, and left the house after kissing his grandparents goodbye, taking the blood-stained shirt and the weapon with him.
Adv. Avni stated:
"The deceased arrived in Israel to work as a caregiver, leaving his family behind. Precisely inside the house where he worked, a place where he was supposed to feel safe, he met his death in a violent manner for no known motive. The murder took place in broad daylight, in the home of his hosts, almost before their eyes. The severity of the act is compounded by Zaken's cold-blooded conduct—the lies told to his grandparents, the false claim of suicide, and his calm departure. This illustrates the chilling ease with which a life was taken."
The investigation was conducted by the Central Unit (Yamar) of the Jerusalem District Police.
