Suspects Released in Eldar Dayan Death Investigation

In a dramatic turn in the mysterious death investigation of Eldar Yitzhak Dayan, all seven suspects have been released from house arrest and are now completely free, despite suspicions against them remaining in place. Police decided not to petition the court to extend detention conditions after investigators from the Central Unit concluded they had exhausted available evidence in the case, according to a report published Thursday by Ynet.

At this stage, authorities say they cannot build sufficient evidentiary foundation to file murder charges. The unexpected development follows receipt of findings from the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, which indicated that due to the condition of the remains found in the field, it is impossible to determine the cause of death with certainty.

The autopsy report of Dayan's remains, which were discovered last month in an open area near Petah Tikva, revealed that the body had been lying in the field for approximately two weeks and had been affected by wild animals. As a result, pathologists could not perform a complete autopsy or examine tissues properly, making it impossible to establish a definitive cause of death.

The absence of clear forensic determination created a severe evidentiary legal obstacle, preventing police from directly and conclusively linking the suspects to the circumstances of death. These findings are expected to have dramatic implications for the continuation of the investigation and the charges being considered against those involved in the case.

Earlier this week, the suspects, including two of Dayan's close friends, Maxim Barberman and Omri Peretz, were transferred from police custody to house arrest. Police had requested the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court order two weeks of house arrest, but Judge Ronen Peleg only partially granted the request, limiting house arrest until Thursday.

Crime scene where the body was found ( Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

When that deadline arrived and following official receipt of the autopsy results, police informed the suspects' attorneys that scheduled hearings were canceled and they were being released to their homes without restrictive conditions. This decision reflects the new investigative reality created by the forensic institute's report.

Dayan was initially classified as a missing person, and searches for him continued for many days. During an outing in central Israel, a violent altercation erupted in the Hod Hasharon and Yarkon Park area between Dayan and his two friends and a group of five other young men. According to investigation materials, one of the friends attempted to run over the youths with Dayan's car, and the vehicle's windshield was damaged.

About four weeks ago, his remains were located in the open field in Petah Tikva. Following discovery of the body, suspects were arrested and the investigation was assigned to the Sharon District's Central Unit. During the investigation, charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and simple assault by two or more persons were added against the suspects, but police now acknowledge that without conclusive forensic evidence indicating the manner of death, prospects for legally substantiating a murder charge have vanished at this stage.

The case, which has gripped the country in recent weeks, has reached a dead end. Investigators continue to review all evidence collected, but without a definitive medical determination regarding cause of death, the path to filing charges for the most serious offense has been blocked.