Petah Tikva: Woman found dead at home in suspected murder-suicide

A 43-year-old woman was found dead in her home overnight Sunday into Monday in a suspected murder-suicide. Police suspect her husband killed her while their children were in the house before taking his own life nearby.

The couple’s young daughter found her mother in the living room and alerted police and Magen David Adom. Emergency teams pronounced the woman dead at the scene. Her husband was found dead approximately 100 meters from the home.

According to preliminary findings, investigators suspect the woman was attacked with a knife. Police said there was no known history of domestic violence or previous incidents involving the couple, and investigators had not identified an unusual event preceding the killing.

The investigation has been assigned to the Sharon District’s Central Investigative Unit.

The Michal Sela Forum, which works to prevent domestic violence, said the case underscored the devastating impact of such killings on children.

“A woman loses her life in the place that should be safest for her: her home,” the organization said.

The forum said children exposed to violence at home can suffer lasting trauma. Although the children were in the house, the account did not establish whether they witnessed the attack.

According to figures cited by the organization, four women have been killed by their partners since the beginning of October. It also reported that 25 people had been killed by family members since the start of 2026, including 17 women, four men and four children.

The forum called for greater awareness of warning signs of intimate partner violence, expanded protection services and stronger efforts to prevent further killings.