Court ruling10/7/2026

Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence for the Murder of Eldad Perry

Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the appeal of Daniel Kedar, who was convicted of the aggravated murder of businessman Eldad Perry. The life sentence was upheld despite the absence of direct testimony regarding the murder itself.

Key facts

•Court: Supreme Court of Israel
•The decision was unanimous
•Trial court judgment: November 4, 2024
•Sentence: life imprisonment
•Cost of the two apartments: 2,265,000 shekels
•Additional payment required: 1,366,458 shekels

The Dispute Over the Apartments

In 2018, Kedar joined a group of purchasers organized by Perry and paid 2,265,000 shekels for two apartments—one for himself and one for his son. After insolvency proceedings were initiated for the Perry Group, Kedar filed a debt claim on November 29, 2020. Under the project’s rehabilitation plan, he was required to pay an additional 1,366,458 shekels to receive the apartments.

The Murder in Rehovot

As determined by the Central District Court in Lod, Kedar surveilled Perry’s home in Rehovot and planned the murder. On the morning of October 15, 2021, he arrived at the synagogue parking lot on a Kawasaki motorcycle whose license plate was covered and shot Perry seven times. Perry died of his wounds, and the shooter fled on the motorcycle.

The Decision on Appeal

Kedar appealed the District Court’s judgment of November 4, 2024. Justice Ofer Grosskopf held that the absence of an eyewitness or direct evidence of the shooting does not, in itself, preclude a conviction if the totality of the circumstantial evidence forms a complete picture. Justices Khaled Kabub and Gila Canfy-Steinitz joined his opinion, and the appeal was therefore dismissed unanimously.

The Basis for the Court’s Conclusion

The Court considered the financial and personal motive, the preliminary trips and surveillance, the “dress rehearsal,” data from the Ituran tracking system concerning Kedar’s vehicle, and the identification of the murderer as the fleeing motorcyclist. Significance was also attributed to the matches between the clothing items, helmet, and type of motorcycle documented near Kedar’s home and at the crime scene. Grosskopf placed particular emphasis on the thoroughness of the police investigation and the totality of the circumstantial evidence gathered by the investigative team.

What this means for you

The decision confirms that, in Israel, a conviction may be based on a body of circumstantial evidence even without an eyewitness to the offense or direct evidence of the shooting. The Court does not examine each such element separately, but rather considers whether the motive, preparation, digital data, and other circumstances combine to form a coherent evidentiary picture.

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