Dramatic Breakthrough: Suspect Arrested in Cold Case Murder of Haredi Teen Evyatar Azarzar
A major breakthrough in the 2019 cold case murder of Evyatar Azarzar: Tel Aviv police arrest a suspect and signal more arrests are coming under a strict gag order.
Nearly seven years after a case that shook the Haredi community, the Central Investigative Unit (YAMAR) of the Tel Aviv District Police announced a dramatic breakthrough this morning. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Evyatar Azarzar, whose body was discovered in a pit years ago.
Police officials indicated that more arrests are expected in the coming days as the investigation intensifies. A strict gag order remains in place, prohibiting the publication of specific investigative details or the identity of the suspect.
Three Weeks of Desperate Searching
The harrowing case began in late 2019 when Evyatar, a member of a well-known Haredi family from the Ramot neighborhood in Jerusalem who was living in Bnei Brak at the time, vanished.
For three weeks, extensive searches were conducted. His father, Rabbi Eliyahu Azarzar, head of the 'Da'at Chochma' Yeshiva, made emotional public pleas for information. The hope of finding him alive ended on December 27, 2019, the eve of Shabbat Zot Chanukah, when his body was found in a pit in an open area near the Morasha Junction and the Ramat HaSharon cemetery.
Years of Intensive Investigation
The Tel Aviv Central Investigative Unit has conducted a wide range of clandestine operations over the years to solve the mystery. The case has been characterized by an unusually long series of gag orders, including a recent 180-day extension, a move considered rare given the amount of time that has passed since the crime.
While the investigation remained largely under wraps, the Azarzar family continued to memorialize Evyatar. Three years ago, on the eve of Shavuot, the family dedicated a Torah scroll in his memory during an emotional ceremony in Jerusalem attended by prominent rabbis and public figures.
Ongoing Developments
Police emphasized today that they cannot add further details beyond the announcement of the arrest and the expectation of subsequent detainees. The gag order remains in full effect as authorities work to finally bring the perpetrators to justice.