Police backtrack, no longer suspect terror motive in double homicide last month

Ruslan and Olga Prihodko, parents to a teenager, are now said to have been killed by 17-year-old in dispute over ancient coins; four suspects remain in custody

Police no longer believe that the recent killing of a married couple in central Israel was a terror attack. Instead, the 17-year-old Arab Israeli suspect is thought to have murdered the husband and wife for criminal motives, in a dispute over ancient coins.

Ruslan and Olga Prihodko, a couple in their 40s from Rishon Lezion, were found shot dead in their car last month near Mishmar Ayalon in the Judean foothills. The couple is survived by their teenage son.

Police initially probed the May 22 killing as a murder-suicide, then began investigating terror suspicions after it emerged that the husband’s licensed gun was not used in the killing and was reportedly in a safe in their home.

The central suspect in the case was arrested last week. Hebrew outlets reported that the teenager is the younger brother of a terrorist who carried out a deadly ramming attack in 2024 at a bus stop in Ramat Hasharon.

But police now believe the shooting was not a terror attack, and reportedly believe that the teenager had prior acquaintance with the couple.

In light of “the latest developments and the evidence gathered, the suspicion that the incident has a criminal background is strengthening,” police said.

According to Hebrew media, the married couple would often travel for pleasure in the Judean foothills in search of antiquities, a hobby shared by the suspect. They ran into the suspect several times while he shepherded in the area, Channel 12 reported.

According to the Ynet outlet, the suspect told police that he shot the couple during an argument between him and Ruslan over ancient coins they had found. It is unclear why he also allegedly shot Olga.

The suspect’s attorney, however, said that the teenager now disavows his statement to police and claims he confessed under pressure. The lawyer also said there are “question marks” surrounding whether the teenager knew the couple previously.

Police are reportedly trying to figure out how the suspect acquired the gun he allegedly used in the killing.

The teenager’s father and three brothers, who were arrested on suspicion of involvement, were released Thursday under restrictive conditions. Ynet reported that the suspect’s family denies the accusation that his brother committed a terror attack in 2024, saying that he was instead involved in a car accident.

Four other suspects remain in custody, including the central suspect in the killing, police say. The next hearing in the case will take place next week.