Holocaust survivor buried in backyard so relatives could continue to collect benefits

A couple from Carmiel in northern Israel buried a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor—the woman’s mother—in their backyard to keep collecting her monthly reparations, worth 18,000 shekels (about $5,400), according to police.

The case began about a month ago, when a woman from Bat Yam, a daughter of the deceased, reported to police that she had received information suggesting her mother had died. Her mother had lived with her in the past but moved out two years earlier following a family dispute, relocating to Carmiel to live with another daughter. The two had since lost contact.

However, the Bat Yam daughter said she tried to keep tabs on her mother from a distance, and upon learning of her possible death, began making inquiries. When she discovered that her mother was still officially listed as being alive, she contacted police.

Fearing for the woman’s well-being, officers from the Carmiel Police Department were dispatched to the couple’s residence. When no one answered the door, they forced entry. The couple were home, said police, and the house was filled with cobwebs, its windows sealed with duct tape. The two gave conflicting accounts of the mother’s whereabouts, arousing suspicion.

The couple was separated and questioned. The daughter, 64, stumbled over her answers, while her partner first claimed the woman had been buried in Haifa, then changed his story to say she had been buried near the northern border. He eventually said she died in April 2024 but refused to disclose the burial site.

Investigators suspected the woman had been buried in the villa’s backyard. Initial excavations, assisted by police dogs, turned up nothing. But they later discovered that the body had been kept in a home freezer for two days before being secretly buried.

About three weeks ago, the investigation took a grim turn when the male suspect killed himself in his detention cell. Soon afterwards, a breakthrough came when a contractor who had done work at the house pointed police to a spot in the garden where he believed a deep pit had been dug. A small excavator was brought in, and two weeks ago, at a depth of three meters (10 feet), officers uncovered the woman’s body.

Investigators believe the woman was not murdered, but are awaiting autopsy results from the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute to confirm the cause of death. Authorities suspect she was buried in secret so her daughter and the man could continue collecting roughly 18,000 shekels (about $5,400) a month from state and private reparation programs. The pair had also reportedly used the deceased’s account to pay the villa’s rent.

“This is one of the most harrowing cases I’ve encountered in 26 years on the force. A 93-year-old Holocaust survivor buried in her own backyard by her own family,” said Chief Inspector Alon Reuveni. “It was our privilege to recover her remains and give her a proper Jewish burial.”

The daughter is under investigation for fraud, obstruction of justice, failure to report a death and violating mandatory legal obligations. Police await the autopsy results to determine whether criminal charges for homicide are also warranted.

JNS