He welcomed them, and Messianic believers, as partners in Israel’s cause, a rare recognition by a public figure. Former Member of Knesset Yuval Steinitz (Likud) acknowledged their sacrifice and how the Christian family had linked their fate with Israel’s. Like each of the Litle children (including Josiah), Abigail had chosen to believe in Yeshua as her Messiah and was baptized before she died.Īround the country many were touched by Abigail’s life and witness and attended her funeral. In total 17 were killed, nine of whom were children and teenagers, and 53 people were injured in the attack. Then, on March 5th, 2003, their second child, Abigail, was killed in a terrorist bus bombing while on her way home from school.

The couple raised five children (including the oldest son Josiah) who grew up in Haifa. In 1989 the couple left the US for Israel, where Phillip continued his studies at the renowned Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Philip is originally from Missouri and Heidi from New Jersey. Philip and Heidi Litle met while studying at MIT and were married shortly after Heidi’s graduation. The parents of Josiah, who is now in custody for the murder of his wife, have known tragedy in the past. Over the weekend condolences continued to pour in from the Messianic Jewish community in Israel and around the world for the families involved. Complaints of domestic violence had previously been reported to police and the husband was sent for evaluation, but no further action was taken. I didn’t mean to kill her,” he told police.ĭaria’s father said that she wanted to leave her husband, and that’s why he murdered her. She pushed me and then I pushed her back. She asked, ‘Are you drinking again?’ An argument started. One of our daughters woke up and my wife woke up, too. completely sober,” Josiah Litle told investigators, according to Ynet. Her husband Josiah was arrested after he reported that he had strangled her and hit her in the head with a hammer. The Messianic Jewish community in Israel was in shock upon learning of the news Friday that Josiah Litle, the eldest son of Phillip and Heidi Litle, had murdered his wife and mother of their three young girls.ĭaria Litle, the 31-year-old Messianic wife and mother, was found unconscious in the living room of their apartment in Haifa and was pronounced dead by medical rescue personnel at the scene.

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