"Aggravated Murder" – Indictment Against Two Young Men from Haifa

The Haifa District Attorney's Office (Criminal) filed an amended indictment with the city's District Court against Leonid Kozmyakin (20) and Fyodor Malchevsky (20), both residents of Haifa, for the aggravated murder of 70-year-old Muhammad Gessus, who died after being attacked with severe and prolonged violence. In addition, the defendants were charged with property damage and threats..

According to the indictment, filed by Attorney Mor Ben Abu of the Haifa District Attorney's Office, on 12/8/24 late at night, the defendants noticed the deceased passing by on the street. They claim that, based on a video they had seen previously, they suspected him of touching a minor. The defendants approached the deceased, who preferred to ignore and stay away from them, so they began to chase him, hit him, and kick him while knocking him to the ground.

The defendants then dragged the deceased to a nearby alley, where they continued to beat him brutally even as he lay helpless on the ground. After leaving the scene, they returned minutes later, rummaged through his belongings, vandalized his property, and continued the abuse: they splashed water on him, threw a burning cigarette at him, and left him severely injured in the alley. Malchevsky later returned to the scene and covered the deceased's body with cardboard.

When they learned that another person who was with them had seen some of the actions, they threatened him not to tell about the events.

The deceased was found minutes later in a very serious condition, taken to the hospital with severe bruises and fractures throughout his body. Due to a severe head injury, he was hospitalized under anesthesia and on a ventilator, and several months later he died of his injuries.

In light of the deceased's death and after examining the pathological report, the indictment, which was initially filed for aggravated assault, was amended to include a charge of murder (by negligence) under aggravated circumstances, along with offenses of malicious damage and threats.