TEL AVIV — The Tel Aviv District Court sentenced Amit Almog to 25 years in prison on Sunday for the murder of his girlfriend, Maya Vishniak. The court also imposed suspended prison sentences and ordered Almog to pay NIS 258,000 in compensation to Vishniak’s family, to be divided equally among her parents and three siblings.

The sentence followed a plea agreement reached in late 2025, under which Almog admitted to murder with intent and withdrew his longstanding claims that he had killed Vishniak while legally insane or under diminished criminal responsibility. Prosecutors had sought a 26-year sentence under the agreement, while the defense retained the right to argue for a lighter term. The plea agreement acknowledged Almog’s mental condition and cannabis use at the time of the killing but assigned them limited weight without reducing his criminal responsibility.

On May 16, 2020, Maya Vishniak arrived at Almog’s family home in Ramat Gan after the two had arranged to meet the previous day. The court found that Almog decided to kill her after his sister left the apartment. He asked Vishniak to lie on her side before strangling her and covering her mouth as she struggled, continuing to press on her neck until she died of asphyxiation. Immediately afterward, Almog filmed her body and himself singing while scattering banknotes over her, then sent the footage to a friend via WhatsApp.

The three-judge panel, headed by President Judge Gilad Neuthall, set the appropriate sentencing range at 25 years to life imprisonment and imposed the minimum sentence within that range. In determining the term, the court cited the plea agreement and mitigating factors including Almog’s admission of guilt, lack of prior criminal convictions, age, mental condition, and his continuous custody since May 2020. The court stated that the murder “gravely violated the sanctity of life” and emphasized that Almog had abused the trust inherent in the couple’s romantic relationship.

Following the ruling, relatives shouted toward Almog, “May you die in prison.” Ariel Vishniak, Maya’s father, said, “The court gave the maximum it could give.” He added, “We will carry this for the rest of our lives,” and “This is not something that disappears; it will never disappear.”

Ron Vishniak, Maya’s brother, said the court “expressed its revulsion toward the act as an important message against the murder of women and against violence in general.” He also said, “It won't bring our Maya back, but at least we know her murderer will remain in prison for many years.” Shira Vishniak, another sibling, said the family was now entering “a difficult chapter of our lives.” She noted, “Maya was supposed to be 28,” and “Her whole life was ahead of her.” Shira added, “We finished one chapter of six years, and now we begin the hard chapter of our lives – living without Maya, mourning her, missing her, and continuing to live alongside her absence.”

Prosecutor Oren Paz said the sentence largely reflected the prosecution's position. He expressed hope that it would offer the family “some measure of relief and comfort” after years of proceedings. Paz said, “The family accompanied the legal process throughout, enduring difficult hearings and listening to Almog's attempts to persuade the court that he committed the murder while insane and should therefore be acquitted.” He added, “Now, after admitting that he intentionally murdered Maya, he will never again be able to claim otherwise.” Paz also said the family's quiet presence had ensured that “Maya's voice was heard powerfully,” and reiterated that the prosecution would continue pursuing cases of intimate partner violence “out of commitment to the fight against violence against women and to securing justice for victims and their families.”

Victim impact statements from Maya Vishniak’s family were heard behind closed doors and remain under a publication ban.