Son of bagel dynasty founder in London admits to killing mother and sister

Joshua Cohen, 29, entered a plea of guilty to two counts of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, though he has continued to deny their murders.

A general view shows the London skyline from the City of London to Westminster, in central London, Britain June 15, 2017 (photo credit: REUTERS/PETER NICHOLLS)
A general view shows the London skyline from the City of London to Westminster, in central London, Britain June 15, 2017
(photo credit: REUTERS/PETER NICHOLLS)

(JTA) — The son of the founder of a bagel dynasty in London admitted to killing his mother and sister.

Joshua Cohen, 29, entered a plea of guilty to two counts of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, though he has continued to deny their murders, The Guardian reported on Friday.

In 2018, he was sent to a high-security psychiatric hospital where he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, after being found mentally unfit to enter pleas in the murders.

Cohen had worked at his family’s Beigel Bake bakery in Brick Lane, in the east end of London, but stopped after he could not get along with customers, according to The Guardian.

He lived in a small apartment behind the family’s home in Golders Green in north London and was only allowed in the house if one of his brothers was there.

He attacked his sister and mother, who had let him into the house, in August 2017, weeks after learning that he had been excluded from his father’s will and that his older brothers were named directors of the company, the Daily Telegraph reported. He was arrested the next day.

He was ordered to remain hospitalized indefinitely.