Killing of Tair Rada

On December 6, 2006, 13-year-old Tair Rada of Katzrin was found murdered in a locked stall of the girls' bathroom at her school, her throat cut and with multiple additional wounds. She had reportedly skipped her last class, spent time in the schoolyard, and was last seen heading toward the school's water fountain. When she did not return home, her mother contacted police, and she was found that evening.

Police initially detained a homeless man and the school's gardener, both released after their alibis were confirmed. On December 11, 2006, police detained and interrogated Roman Zdorov, a Ukrainian national working as a school floorer. On December 19, police publicly announced Zdorov as the primary suspect, stating he had confessed and reenacted the crime; his attorney said he recanted the confession the following day. An initially stated motive—that Zdorov reacted to being cursed after refusing to give Tair a cigarette—was dropped after her family and friends disputed her character. A later theory involving alleged childhood trauma was also not confirmed, and no motive was included in the eventual indictment.

The prosecution's case relied heavily on contested forensic evidence. DNA evidence initially cited by police was not included in the indictment and was later described as inconclusive. Shoe-print evidence linking Zdorov's shoes to bloody marks on the victim's jeans was disputed by defense forensic experts, including a British specialist and an FBI veteran, whose testimony was rejected by the courts. Hair found at the scene did not match Zdorov, and some crime-scene hair was not tested for DNA after police halted testing following his confession.

Zdorov was convicted in September 2010 by the Nazareth District Court and sentenced to life imprisonment. Following an appeal, the Supreme Court of Israel in 2013 remanded the case for further evidentiary review; a February 2014 supplemental judgment again convicted him. In December 2015, the Supreme Court denied his appeal by a 2-1 vote. The case generated extensive controversy over prosecutorial conduct, including scandals involving forensic experts Dr. Maya Forman and Dr. Hen Kugel, and the resignation of the presiding trial judge amid unrelated misconduct allegations, as well as the resignation of the Commissioner of Prosecutorial Oversight following disputes with the State Prosecution.

Tair Rada's mother publicly stated she did not believe Zdorov was the murderer and suggested the killer was connected to the school. A 2016 Israeli documentary series, Shadow of Truth, examined the case and included testimony from a man alleging his ex-girlfriend had confessed involvement; she was investigated but the claim was ultimately rejected by authorities.

On May 11, 2021, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial. Zdorov was released to house arrest in August 2021. On March 30, 2023, following retrial, Zdorov was acquitted in a 2-1 decision on grounds of reasonable doubt.