A body in an advanced state of decomposition was found in an open area near the Yarkon Interchange on Thursday morning during police searches for Eldar Dayan, a 23-year-old Dimona resident who has been missing for nearly three weeks.
Police stressed that the identification process had not been completed and that they could not confirm the identity of the deceased. The body was transferred to the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir for identification and an examination of the circumstances of death.
The discovery came one day after orders were issued to transfer the investigation from the Dimona Police Station in the Southern District to the Sharon District Central Unit. Police said the transfer was made after the search operations and investigative avenues pursued by the Dimona station had been exhausted.
Dayan's mother arrived at the scene later on Thursday, pleading to police to "take her to the child" and allow her to see the remains for identification purposes.
Body found in Petah Tikvah after missing person search for Eldar Dayan stretches into third week
Thursday’s searches were led by the Sharon Central Unit together with Petah Tikva police, Border Police officers, and volunteers.
Dayan’s family said it learned that a body had been found through media reports rather than directly from police. Attorney Sapir Pardo, who represents the family, criticized the handling of the notification and said the family was waiting for the forensic examination before drawing any conclusions. In its statement, police did not address the family’s criticism.
Dayan traveled to central Israel with two friends in mid-July. Police initially appealed for information after saying he had last been seen near Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park on July 17.
Surveillance footage released later showed him at a gas station in the Petah Tikva area on July 18, shortly before contact with him was lost.
Before he disappeared, Dayan sent messages to his girlfriend indicating that there had been some kind of disturbance. His phone was subsequently switched off, and his family said he had not contacted them or his girlfriend since.
Investigators later located a damaged vehicle abandoned near a Petah Tikva gas station. The vehicle had a broken windshield, and blood traces were found inside. Police examined whether it had been involved in a vehicle incident following an altercation involving Dayan and his companions.
Two of Dayan’s friends were arrested last week after investigators said they had given conflicting accounts. Their detention was extended on suspicion of involvement in a suspected hit-and-run incident and obstruction of the investigation.