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A second Israeli national has been found dead in Los Angeles within a 24-hour period, raising concerns within the local Israeli community and prompting authorities to investigate potential connections between the two incidents.
Manny Hidra, an Israeli businessman, was discovered deceased in his apartment in the Valley Village neighborhood on Saturday afternoon.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's Van Nuys division responded to a call after family members reported being unable to contact him. Emergency personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. The LAPD has initiated a homicide investigation, though no suspects have been arrested, and the cause of death has not been disclosed.
This incident follows the killing of Alexander Modvadze, a 47-year-old Israeli-American businessman, who was found dead in his Woodland Hills home early Saturday morning.
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According to police reports, three Georgian nationals—Pata Kuchiyashvili, 38, Zaza Otarashvili, 46, and Besiki Khutsishvili, 52—allegedly broke into Modvadze's home, held him captive, and fatally assaulted him. The suspects were apprehended within hours with assistance from the FBI and are being held on $2 million bail each.
Authorities are exploring potential links between the two cases but have not found evidence to suggest a connection. The LAPD continues to collect forensic evidence and witness statements in both Valley Village and Woodland Hills. They urge anyone with information related to either case to contact the police department promptly.