Court ruling10/19/2026

Court: Insufficient Evidence to Charge Two Women With the Murder of Benayahu Razi

The Jerusalem District Court ruled that the materials presented do not establish a prima facie evidentiary basis for charging Agam Tsarfati and Shilat Huta with the murder of Benayahu Razi. However, the court found prima facie evidence of aiding a murder and ordered an examination of the possibility of releasing the defendants to an alternative to detention.

Key facts

•Court: Jerusalem District Court
•The decision was published on October 19, 2026
•Defendants: Agam Tsarfati and Shilat Huta
•The court did not find prima facie evidence of murder
•The court found prima facie evidence of aiding a murder
•The case number and the statutory provision applied are not specified in the source

What the Women Were Charged With

The prosecution charged Tsarfati, Razi’s former partner, and Huta with premeditated murder, even though it did not allege that they themselves delivered the fatal blows. According to the prosecution’s account, the women told four minors about violence by Razi, after which the group decided to attack him and his friend. The prosecution believed that the women’s participation in making the decision, directing the attackers, and the events preceding the death allowed them to be regarded as joint perpetrators of the murder.

How Events Unfolded According to the Prosecution’s Account

According to the indictment, the minors equipped themselves in advance with knives and other objects, and the women directed them to the location where Razi was. Huta went with the teenagers to the apartment and conducted a video call, while Tsarfati remained in the car and watched what was happening. Razi died from a stab wound to the chest that struck his heart; his friend was also attacked and injured.

What the Court Ruled

The court concluded that, in the cases of Tsarfati and Huta, there was no prima facie evidence specifically supporting the murder charge. However, according to their defense attorneys, the court ruled that prima facie evidence existed for aiding a murder. This decision does not end the proceedings or acquit the defendants.

The Question of Release

Following the decision, the court referred both defendants to the Probation Service for the preparation of a report and an examination of the possibility of releasing them to an alternative to detention. The publication does not state that release itself was approved. Benayahu Razi’s family sharply criticized the court’s decision, while the defense argued that the court rejected the prosecution’s position regarding the women’s participation in planning the murder.

What this means for you

At the stage of proceedings concerning detention, the court distinguishes between evidence of jointly perpetrating a murder and evidence of a more limited role—aiding. If there is insufficient evidence for the original charge, the court may instruct the Probation Service to examine an alternative to detention, but that in itself neither terminates the criminal proceedings nor guarantees release.

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Case analysis based on court rulings