Palestinian suspect arrested in murder of Esther Horgan, mother of 6

Israeli security forces nab suspect in the brutal terrorist slaying earlier this week of Esther Horgan.

By Paul Shindman, World Israel News

Israeli security forces tracked down and arrested a Palestinian from the Jenin area in connection to the brutal murder on the weekend of an Israeli woman who was out for a jog, the Shin Bet security agency announced Thursday.

“After intensive intelligence and operational activity of the General Security Service by the Israel Police, Yamam (Border Police counter-terrorism unit) and the IDF, a suspect was arrested today for involvement in the murder of the late Esther Horgan,” the GSS said in a statement. “A Palestinian suspect from the Jenin area is under investigation by the GSS.”

Details of the investigation are under a court-imposed restraining order.

The Saudi Arabian ALarsal news website identified the suspect as Muhammad Marwah Qabha. Local sources told the website Israeli forces were hiding in vehicles and arrested Qabha after raiding his house.

Horgan, 52, from the community of Tel Menashe in northern Samaria, went for a jog Sunday afternoon. A large manhunt was launched when she failed to return. Search teams found her body in a nearby wooded area with her skull crushed by a rock.

She was laid to rest on Tuesday as security forces carried out an intensive search for her attacker and possible accomplices.

On Thursday, President Reuven Rivlin visited Horgan’s husband and their six children to comfort the family. During the visit, Benjamin Horgan emphasized to the president that the family was not interested in revenge and that their consolation would be in the government approving further construction of 107 new homes to double the size of Tel Menashe.

Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan added his voice, saying he called “on all leaders of the state to support the expansion of the settlement of Tal Menashe and construction throughout Judea and Samaria.”