Bloodied suspect carrying samurai sword charged with brutal beating of woman, killing her dog

An indictment was filed against Lior Saraf, 50, from Kfar Saba, for assaulting a female friend and killing her dog. Saraf, carrying a samurai sword and covered in blood, punched the woman until she lost consciousness, then stabbed the dog. He later claimed God instructed him. The victim suffered multiple facial fractures. A separate arson indictment was filed against Daniel Azaria.

An indictment was filed on Thursday against Lior Saraf, 50, from Kfar Saba, for a severe assault on a female friend and the killing of her dog. Saraf, who walked out into the street carrying a samurai sword while covered in blood, is accused of punching his friend repeatedly until she lost consciousness. Upon returning home and finding the dog licking her wounds, he threw a hammer at the dog and subsequently stabbed it to death with a kitchen knife. The incident took place during the night between October 8 and October 9. According to the indictment, Saraf and the complainant had renewed their friendship about a month earlier after a dispute. That evening, they used drugs and drank alcohol together. Later, after the woman called him to the bedroom, he began punching her in the face repeatedly until she lost consciousness. Saraf then retrieved a samurai sword and walked into the street, where three people noticed his bloodstains and escorted him to a hospital, but he fled. He returned home, where he killed the dog. He did not provide medical aid to his friend. Police arrived around 4:00 AM and found the injured woman. She suffered multiple facial fractures, eye trauma, and contusions, and was hospitalized for three days. During interrogations, Saraf gave several accounts, including claiming God instructed him to kill her, then to offer a sacrifice like the binding of Isaac, leading him to stab the dog. The indictment charges him with aggravated assault, animal cruelty, obstruction of justice, possession of a knife, and drug possession. In a separate incident, Daniel Azaria, 35, from Rehovot, was charged with arson for setting fire to a business where his ex-girlfriend used to work.