Double Homicide Shakes Los Angeles Israeli Community

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of two Israeli men, discovered in separate residences within the same geographical area last weekend. The proximity of these incidents,both in time and location,has ignited concern and speculation within the local Israeli community.

alexander Modebadze: Torture and Murder in Woodland Hills

Alexander Modebadze, a 47-year-old businessman holding dual Israeli-American citizenship, was found dead in his Woodland Hills home between April 26th and 27th. Preliminary LAPD findings indicate that modebadze suffered fatal cranial trauma, with investigators suspecting he was held captive and tortured before his death.

Reports suggest that around 1 a.m., three individuals forcibly entered Modebadze’s residence, restrained him, physically assaulted him, and stole several personal items before fleeing. Law enforcement, in collaboration with the FBI, swiftly identified and apprehended three Georgian nationals – Paat Kochiashvili, 38, Zaza Otarashvili, 46, and Besiki Khutsishvili, 52. Each suspect’s bail has been set at $2 million. Sources suggest these individuals may have ties to a transnational criminal institution of Georgian origin.

Meni Khidra: Violent Altercation Leads to Death

The second victim, Meni Khidra, 53, also a businessman and the brother of a senior official within the Israeli penitentiary services, Moshe Khidra, was discovered in his apartment at the Ashton Sherman Village Apartments. His body was found on April 26th after a relative, concerned about not hearing from him for two days, contacted the police.

Initial investigative findings point to a violent assault.An altercation reportedly occurred between Khidra and his assailant, resulting in Khidra’s death.A neighbor residing on a lower floor reported hearing unusual cries and noises around 3 a.m., three days prior to the discovery of the body. Police also found traces of blood on the building’s facade between two balconies, as well as on a staircase exit handle, suggesting a hasty escape by the perpetrator via external routes.

Surveillance footage captured a man of Hispanic origin, estimated to be between 30 and 40 years old, wandering through the building around the time of the crime, seemingly attempting to enter various apartments. The LAPD has released these images to the public and is appealing to witnesses for assistance in identifying the suspect, who remains at large.

Community Unease Amid Rising Anti-Semitic Incidents

While authorities have not yet established a definitive link between the two cases, treating them as separate homicides, the temporal and geographical proximity, combined with the victims’ shared nationality, has fueled anxieties within the city’s Jewish community.

It is deeply disturbing. Two men linked to Israel killed the same night? This gives an impression of targeted attacks,
Jennifer Feldman, a resident of Valley Village, as quoted by Los Angeles Magazine

Although the LAPD has not identified any anti-Semitic motives and dismisses any direct connection between the two murders, these events occur against a backdrop of increasing unfriendly acts targeting Jewish individuals in the United States. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), over 9,000 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded nationwide in 2024, marking a record high as the organization began tracking such data over four decades ago. this surge underscores the heightened sensitivity and concern within the Jewish community.

Ongoing Investigations and Call for Data

Investigations are ongoing in both cases. While arrests have been made in the Modebadze murder, the Khidra case remains unresolved.The police are urging anyone with information that could assist in either inquiry to come forward.