Nicolai Doroshav indicted for rape, murder of Leah Drenkin

Nicolai Doroshav indicte

By BENJAMIN HARTMAN
Nitzanim beach murder scene 248.88 (photo credit: Channel 2 )
Nitzanim beach murder scene 248.88
(photo credit: Channel 2 )
A man was indicted at the Beersheba District Court on Monday on charges that he murdered a 15-year-old girl in order to prevent her from complaining of rape. According to the indictment, Nicolai Doroshav drove Leah Drenkin home from a party and had sexual intercourse with her against her will. The indictment alleges that Doroshav then strangled Drenkin in order to stop her from reporting the rape. The indictment reads that after a party in late September, Drenkin fell asleep in the back seat of Doroshav's car as he was driving other passengers home. Afterwards, when Doroshav realized Drenkin was still in the car, the indictment says he drove her to a secluded hilltop near Nitzanim beach and began to have sexual intercourse with her while she was asleep. Drenkin allegedly woke up while the act was taking place, began to scream and struggle with Doroshav and threatened to go to the police. It is at that point, the indictment reads, that Doroshav killed Drenkin. Drenkin's body was found on a beach next to Kibbutz Nitzanim in late September after she had been missing since the night before. Doroshav, a 26-year-old divorcee and father of an eight-year-old girl, was arrested shortly thereafter. Police found Doroshav after tracking his cell phone signal, and he led detectives to the beach, where Drenkin's body was found. The alleged murder took place after a night of drinking in which both Doroshav and Drenkin partook. The two were at the party until about 2 a.m. and Drenkin was reportedly under the influence of alcohol when the rape and murder took place. During a remand hearing days after the murder, Doroshav apologized for Drenkin's death, saying "I am sorry for what happened, I didn't mean it, it just happened." "I pressed on her throat, and she lost her breath," he said. jpost.com staff contributed to this report.