Horror in Rishon L'Tzion: On Saturday morning, 6 members of one family were found dead in their home, with stab wounds all over their bodies. The frightening discovery was made after a fire broke out in the apartment and the fire department arrived on the scene. Police assume that the fire was set by whoever murdered the family, in order to destroy evidence of the crime.
The names of the victims were publicized late Saturday afternoon, and all 6 were related. Ludmilla and Edward Oshrenko, both 56 years old, who immigrated to Israel from Russia in the 1990's. Their son Dmitri, 32, his wife Tatiana, 28, and their two children, three year old Ravital and four month old Netanel, were also murdered.
The family celebrated Ravital's birthday together Friday night, and Saturday morning their bodies were all found after neighbors reported smoke coming out of the Oshrenko's apartment. A large police force, led by the Central District Police Commander, is conducting an intensive investigation of what appears to be a multiple homicide.
Police officials described the family as "normal", and said that none of the family members had a criminal record. However, the possibility that one of the family members murdered the others and then set the apartment on fire and committed suicide, is also being considered.
The Minister of Public Security, Yitzchak Aharonovitch, visited the scene of the crime Saturday night, and was briefed by the police commander regarding progress being made in the investigation. The crime scene was also visited by Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov, who knew the family. "I've known them for years," he said.
Earlier Saturday evening, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke with the Minister of Public Security, Yitzchak Aharonovitch, and with the Minister of Tourism, Stas Meseznikov, friend of the family. The Prime Minister expressed his shock and outrage at the terrible crime, and asked Meseznikov to convey to the family's relatives his sorrow for their loss. The Prime Minister also asked Meseznikov to keep him updated about the investigation.
