Two Israeli society matrons went on trial for first degree murder in Tel Aviv District Court Monday in connection with the death a year ago of an American woman tourist from whom the accused allegedly stole a large sum of money they were supposed to invest for her.
The defendants are Hava Yaari, wife of Ehud Yaari, Israel Television Arab Affairs correspondent, and Aviva Granot, described as her close friend. The body of the tourist, Mala Melavsky, was discovered by a prostitute on the beach at Tel Baruch in north Tel Aviv.
But when members of her family came to Israel to inquire about her disappearance, the police launched an investigation which disclosed that Melavsky had given Yaari, a one-time investment advisor, $50,000 in cash for investment. The
The two women told police contradictory stories. Yaari, after denying that she saw Melavsky on the date of her disappearance, admitted that she had picked up the woman in her husband’s car. She said they
Granot told police Yaari parked the car and beat Melavsky over the head with a blunt instrument, threw her from the car, and ran over her several times, killing her. Both of the accused are very well known in Israeli society. Apparently they are no longer friends.
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