More than five years after the killing of Maya Vishniak, the Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday convicted her partner, Amit Almog, of premeditated murder, bringing a long and painful legal process to a decisive close.
Almog, who admitted to the killing as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, withdrew earlier claims that he was not criminally responsible due to mental illness or diminished capacity. In doing so, he formally acknowledged that the murder was carried out intentionally, the prosecution said.
Under the agreement, prosecutors will seek a sentence of 26 years in prison, alongside a suspended sentence and compensation to Vishniak’s family. The prosecution said it will continue to accompany the family through the sentencing stage.
Vishniak, 22, was killed in May 2020 in Almog’s apartment in Ramat Gan, in a case that shocked the public and quickly became a symbol of the country’s ongoing struggle with domestic violence. Almog was arrested shortly after the killing and later charged with murder.
Almog's judgment case got into the psychiatric field
The case dragged on for years as Almog underwent psychiatric evaluations and raised arguments aimed at reducing his criminal responsibility. Those claims, which repeatedly delayed proceedings, were ultimately abandoned as part of the plea deal that led to Thursday’s conviction.
Following the ruling, Vishniak’s family said the decision marked a long-awaited moment of justice. In a statement, the family said that five and a half years after Maya’s “brutal murder,” Almog’s admission put an end to efforts to evade responsibility through mental health claims. They added that they now hope the court will impose the maximum possible sentence.