Rabbi discovered dismembered and dumped in wardrobe after being ‘killed by gang’
American Rabbi Nuchem Yasir Ebeth, 51, was last seen leaving his Airbnb in Bogota, Colombia, on 21 April. His dismembered body was discovered five days later inside an abandoned wardrobe
Nuchem Yasir Ebeth was last seen leaving his Airbnb(Image: JamPress)
The dismembered body of a travelling rabbi has been discovered inside an abandoned wardrobe on a street in Colombia. Nuchem Yasir Ebeth, from America, had journeyed to Bogotá to guide and teach a small group of Catholics who had converted to Judaism, as reported by Colombian media.
He was last seen on CCTV departing his Airbnb at 9:07pm on 21 April as initial reports suggest he was on his way to meet someone. From that point onwards, Nuchem, 51, went quiet, ceased responding to calls, and was reported missing by his family.
Days later, in the early hours of Sunday (April 26), locals alerted authorities to a blue wardrobe with bloodstains around it, abandoned on a street on the opposite side of Bogotá. Officers who responded to the call found the dismembered body of a man matching Nuchem’s description inside.
On Monday (April 27), he was confirmed to be the missing rabbi. Nuchem hailed from Borough Park in Brooklyn, New York City.
He was a devotee of the Belz Hasidic dynasty, a branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism that originated in Eastern Europe. According to US media, Nuchem may have been targeted by a criminal gang specialising in robbing tourists.
The prevailing theory is that the murder occurred during the theft of his personal possessions and identification documents. However, other potential motives – including the possibility that he was enticed under false pretences, or even terrorism – have not been dismissed.
The American Jewish Committee cautioned in September 2024 that Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, was “actively endangering his country’s Jewish community”. It alleged he had, amongst other measures, been “severing ties with Israel and amplifying antisemitic messages”.
Colombian officials are reportedly examining the path taken by the vehicle that carried the wardrobe. Plans are being made to return Nuchem’s remains in line with his faith.
Bogotá’s Kehilat Yovel said in a statement: “The Yovel Messianic Community expresses its deepest condolences and its profound rejection of the regrettable and violent murder of Rabbi Nuchem Yisrael Eber, which recently occurred in our country.”
