Police officer suspected of murdering 32-year-old wife

The victim of the murder was named Diana Raz.

FEBRUARY 6, 2021 22:46

An MDA ambulance stands outside the home of a woman who was seemingly murdered by her husband (photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM) — An MDA ambulance stands outside the home of a woman who was seemingly murdered by her husband

(photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)

A 32-year-old woman was found dead in her home in Naale in the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council on Friday. Her husband, a police officer, was arrested on suspicion of shooting her with his licensed gun.

Diana Raz, the victim of the suspected murder, was a couples’ mentor and led married pairings through the challenges of overcoming marital complications. She would lead training groups through a program to improve and evolve their personal relationships.

The alleged murderer was revealed to be Amir Raz.

During an argument that broke out between the couple, the alleged murderer told police, he did not know what had come over him, but he had pulled his gun out and fired two shots, one of which went into the victim’s head. Their four children were witnesses to the suspected murder and were taken to welfare services to receive care.

After allegedly killing his wife, the police officer called his commanding officer and confessed to him. The Justice Ministry’s Police Investigation Department said he confessed during its interrogation, according to N12. His attorney is expected to request a psychiatric evaluation for the defendant.

He was supposed to appear before the Rishon Lezion Magistrate Court on Saturday evening to have his arrest extended, but he was found to have been exposed to a coronavirus patient and police was forced to take him to quarantine. Amir Raz’s arrest was extended by nine days.

Paz, just a few months before her death, had spoken with her marital training group in the past about domestic violence. She had posted a live broadcast to the group in which she spoke about the murder of Michal Sela, a young Israeli woman who was allegedly murdered by her husband. Paz gave tips for women coping within an abusive relationship.

Lili Ben-Ami, Sela’s sister, said following Paz’s murder that “the prime minister should call for an emergency meeting with the best minds and security experts in Israel to sit... to engineer solutions and save the next murdered woman.”

Ynet said the police officer called his mother before the incident, and asked her to take the four children into her care.

“We had a pointless argument, and I don’t know what got into my head,” said the suspect, according to N12. “The argument led to yelling and I can’t explain it. I drew my gun and fired twice. One hit her in the head. Then I called emergency services and asked them to come.”

While some neighbors said the couple had several loud arguments others said they were always well-mannered.

In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, President Reuven Rivlin said that Diana Raz was “a model of inner strength and inspiration for so many women. She was a professional who changed lives and instilled confidence while teaching family values.”

He called on the country not to forget “the faces, the names, the lives that were cruelly taken out of a dangerous sense of ownership,” referring to the high rate of domestic murders. “Terror on women must be stopped.”

Violence against women has sky-rocketed in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past month alone two women have been murdered. Last year 25 more women were murdered in acts of domestic violence.

The government agreed in 2017 to create a domestic violence prevention program with a budget of NIS 250 million. However, by the end of 2020, only NIS 50m. had been transferred towards the program. Such a program could be a lifesaver for women and children alike throughout the country.

“The Israel Police must comprehensively inquire how it was that someone who is supposed to protect citizens’ lives with his weapon allegedly turns it upon his wife,” said the Jewish Women’s Organization Supporting Israel (Na’amat) CEO Hagit Pe’er.

“Every murder requires an in-depth investigation but in a situation involving an armed police officer the possibility of a system failure must be investigated, and whether there were any signs that should have set off alarms.”

As photographs from social media began surfacing of Raz, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid tweeted: “I see the smile in the photograph of Diana Raz... and think of the four children that will need to live with the horrible knowledge that their father murdered their mother. That 25 women were murdered last year is incomprehensible. We must stop violence against women. We can and we must.”

A campaign has started on social media to raise money for the welfare of the children of Diana Raz, who are aged from one to seven.

Her funeral is set to be held on Sunday.