Head of Hevra Kadisha in Haifa shot dead

The slaying of Benny Hesse, 67, sends shock waves throughout the Orthodox community; Hesse attacked with acid in 2004.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Binyamin Hasa 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Binyamin Hasa 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The chairman of the Hevre Kadisha burial service in Haifa, Binyamin Hesse, was shot dead at the entrance to his apartment building on Sunday night, in a slaying that sent shockwaves throughout the Orthodox community and beyond.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Hesse’s alleged killer ambushed him on Haifa’s Rehov Sinai, opening fire and hitting him multiple times.
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Hesse was critically wounded by several gunshot wounds before Magen David Adom paramedics arrived and began attempting to resuscitate him, Rosenfeld added. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Large numbers of police arrived on the scene, and a homicide investigation was launched. It is being led by the Northern District’s central unit. “All directions are being checked. This is only the beginning of the investigation,” a district police spokesman said.
In 2004, Hesse was the victim of an acid-throwing attack. In that attack too, an unidentified attacker or attackers waited outside his home, before hurling acid in his face. Hesse was lightly wounded.