Police discovered a body in an advanced state of decomposition Thursday morning near the Yarkon Interchange in Petah Tikva during ongoing search operations for Dimona resident Eldar Dayan, who has been missing since mid-July. The remains have been transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification and examination of the circumstances of death, according to police statements and Hebrew media reports.
Dayan, 23, was last seen July 17 in the Yarkon Park area of Tel Aviv. He sent a WhatsApp message to his girlfriend saying "it's a mess here" and "we'll talk later," according to his family. His phone has since been unreachable. Police transferred the case to the Central District's Sharon Major Crimes Unit on Wednesday night, and search operations began Thursday morning under that unit's command.
Police have not confirmed the identity of the discovered remains. While media reports have suggested investigators are examining whether the body belongs to Dayan, police have stated there is no official confirmation at this stage. According to Ynet, the possibility remains only a suspicion, with no formal indication of identity.
Two of Dayan's friends, Omri Peretz and Maksim Braverman, remain in custody. The Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court extended their detention for the third time this week. They are suspected of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit a crime. According to Hebrew media, they are also suspected of involvement in a violent altercation with five local youths near Petah Tikva and of attempting to run them over. Investigators are examining whether death threats the suspects allegedly made against Dayan during the incident may be connected to his disappearance.
On July 18, a vehicle connected to the group was found abandoned near a gas station in Petah Tikva with a shattered window and apparent bloodstains. The vehicle's license plates had been removed, according to reporting by Ynet. Police are investigating whether the damage and forensic findings are connected to an altercation, a suspected hit-and-run collision, or subsequent events related to Dayan's disappearance.
Dayan's family issued a statement Thursday expressing frustration with the police investigation: "The police were negligent for 11 days in searching for Eldar. They published inaccurate information that harmed our family and later retracted it," according to Israel National News. The family requested privacy during what they described as a difficult time.
According to Hebrew media, Dayan's mother came to the scene of the body discovery and appealed directly to police officers, saying: "Take me to my child now. You're not removing a body without my permission." The family was not formally notified of the body's discovery, despite the fact that they had been engaged in active coordination with police search operations.
Police believe Dayan may currently be hiding in the Petach Tikva area.
The identification process at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine remains ongoing.
