Three arrested in connection to double murder of Ruslan and Olga Prikhodko

Israeli police and the Shin Bet have arrested three additional suspects in connection with the double murder of Ruslan and Olga Prikhodko. This development comes less than a day after the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court extended the detention of the primary suspect, a 17-year-old resident of Lod, who has reportedly confessed to the crime.

The three new suspects, who are residents of the West Bank, have been transferred to the Shin Bet for questioning. Investigators aim to determine the extent of their involvement in the murder, including any role in planning, execution, or post-murder assistance. The arrests were made based on intelligence gathered by investigators from the Central District Police Headquarters and the Shin Bet.

Ruslan Prikhodko, 46, and his wife Olga, 44, were found dead in their vehicle on May 22 in an open area between Moshav Mishmar Ayalon and Karmei Yosef. Family members alerted the police after being unable to contact the couple for several hours. Initial investigations considered the possibility of a murder-suicide, but the presence of Shin Bet personnel suggested other avenues were being explored.

Sources familiar with the investigation indicate that law enforcement suspects the murders may have been nationalist-motivated. This suspicion was strengthened by findings such as the absence of Ruslan Prikhodko's licensed handgun at the scene, although it was later found in the couple's home. Furthermore, no gunpowder traces were found on Ruslan's hands, which weakened the murder-suicide theory.