Last update - 00:00 01/01/2007
New evidence casts doubt on identity of Katzrin murderer
By Eli Asheknazi, Haaretz Correspondent
The 14-year-old sister of Roman Zadorov, the man suspected of murdering Tair Rada at the Nofei Golan school in Katzrin, told detectives that the correspondence found on her brother's computer - with girls her age - belonged to her.
Several days ago, Channel 10 reported that detectives had found correspondence with young girls on Zadorov's computer, as well as evidence that he had explored child pornography sites on the internet. Zadorov is currently in police custody.
Meanwhile, Rada family attorneys Moshe and Shira Maroz met Sunday with two representatives of the police investigation team and presented them with the findings of a private investigator, Alex Peleg, who is working for the family of the victim.
According to Peleg's findings, following Rada's murder, a teenage girl tried to enter the bathroom stall where the murder had just been commited. When she failed in her efforts to enter the stall, she tried the one next to it, which was also locked. The teen then heard the voice of a youth who said it was occupied.
The teenage girl said that she had also seen blood stains on the bathroom mirror.
According to attorneys Maroz, the testimony of the teenager fits with that of a driver who gave a ride to three youths and heard one of them exclaim: "What have we done?"
"We believe that the two testimonies are connected and point to the fact that the murderer is not Roman, but the youths," the attorneys said. "The police is locked onto one direction and has not seriously explored other options."
Police spokesman, Superintendent Ronit Mualem, said that "all the information that was brought before us by attorneys Maroz and by Peleg were well received because we are open to anyone who is willing to give us information; however, the information received was already known to us and we have already checked it."
Police to comb dumps in search for evidence
Police officers will start combing the Te'enim garbage dump near Hazor Hagelilit on Tuesday in search of evidence connecting Zadorov to the murder.
Equipment was brought to the site on Monday to assist in the search of a pair of Zadorov's pants that may link him to the crime and a razor blade that was allegedly used to kill Rada.