An Israeli grandfather will spend the rest of his life in prison after assassinating a real estate developer for a deal that went sour.
A Lod District Court handed Daniel Keidar a life term in prison for the shooting death of real estate developer Eldad Peri. After his trial, Keidar was found guilty and convicted of murder.
On Oct. 15, 2021, police officers responded to the parking lot of a synagogue in nearby Rehovot, where they found Peri’s body riddled with gunshot wounds. The victim had been shot seven times at point-blank range after Peri attended a morning service at the synagogue. Keidar was seen fleeing the scene on a motorcycle, reported The Jerusalem Post.
According to prosecutors, Keidar had invested NIS 2.2 million ($608,275) to purchase two apartment units from the victim’s project in Lod. However, Keidar lost millions of shekels after Peri’s company was declared insolvent by debtors who petitioned the court because the project had gone bust. As a result, the court ordered a rehabilitation plan that would mandate Keidar to put up another NIS 1.4 million ($412,000) for the two apartments.
Angry about the outcome, the defendant stalked the victim, mapping out his routine. The 66-year-old Keidar, who was a registered gun owner with no criminal record and a grandfather of six, had made threats against Peri via social media prior to the fatal incident.
“I am shocked and still have a hard time digesting the impudence and stupidity… about 2.5 million shekels, 200%, went down the drain. When will you internalize that talk won’t help. When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk. Haven’t I already warned you not to mess with me?” Keidar wrote while posing with a picture of him holding a gun, reported The Times of Israel.
During the trial, the defendant claimed he was not at the crime scene when Peri was fatally shot. However, authorities found a gun registered to Keidar at his home and a motorcycle, which forensics analysis later tied to the crime scene. In addition, investigators found out the defendant had visited the crime scene several times three days before the fatal incident.
Keidar was ordered to pay a restitution of NIS 258,000 ($71,300) to Peri’s family.
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