Beverly Hills Police Seek Drivers In Death Of Man Possibly Hit More Than Once
BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA.com) — "He was a man who was like a permanent life coach," Matan Malahi said.
On Saturday, the 19-year-old will head to Israel to bury his father and will now have to grow up without the wisdom of Eli Malahi, 58.
And he says he doesn't want to spend his life not knowing who killed him.
"Who did this?" he asked. "Did they do this on purpose? ... I want to know. I think I deserve to know."
That's why Beverly Hills police are looking for the cars captured on security video. Police say just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, Eli Malahi stepped out of his van in the 300 block of North Crescent Drive and was hit by a dark sedan followed by a dark minivan or SUV. Detectives say neither driver stopped.
"You have stolen something that will never be replaced," Malahi said.
Eli Malahi emigrated from Israel in the 1980s with dreams of making it big as a musician. Over the years, his focus changed to printing and web design. And his two children. His daughter is 11. He recently separated from his longtime wife.
"We were crafting a life here. ... We were extremely close," Malahi said.
The separation had been hard on the whole family. But Matan says he and his father got through hardships together, and this is first heartbreak he'll have to navigate without him.
Police hope someone will recognize the vehicles in the video. Anyone with information is asked to call the Beverly Hills Police Department.