Son accused of murdering his mother and Australian aunt before mutilating their bodies in Argentina 'wanted to have a baby with his mum' and 'killed her when she rejected his sexual desire'

  • Gilad Pereg allegedly murdered his mother Priyha Sarusi and aunt Lily Pereg 
  • The 38-year-old wanted to have a child with his mum, it has been alleged 
  • Ms Sarusi, 63, was allegedly killed because she rejected his 'sexual desire' 
  • Pereg allegedly tried to contact a fertility centre after his request was denied

By Paula Ahillon and Kylie Stevens and Josh Hanrahan For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 07:25 EDT, 7 August 2019 | Updated: 07:52 EDT, 7 August 2019

A son charged with murdering his mother and his Australian aunt wanted to have a child with her but she was allegedly strangled to death after she rejected his 'sexual desire'.  

Gilad Pereg is accused of killing his mother Pryhia Sarusi, 63, as well as his aunt, Australian university professor Lily Pereg, 54, in Argentina in January.   

Pereg broke his silence about his relationship with his allegedly murdered family members during a jail interview with forensic psychologist Dr Mariano N Castex.

The 38-year-old allegedly tried to contact a fertility centre after his mother denied his request of creating a child with her.     

A transcript and psychological analysis of the interview prepared for court was leaked to news.com.au. 

'It is my theory that this (rejected sexual desire) is the reason by which he killed his mother,' Dr Castex said. 

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Gilad Pereg allegedly mutilated his mother Pryhia Sarusi (left), 63, as well as his aunt, Australian university professor Lily Pereg (right), 54, in Argentina in January

Gilad Pereg allegedly mutilated his mother Pryhia Sarusi (left), 63, as well as his aunt, Australian university professor Lily Pereg (right), 54, in Argentina in January 

The 38-year-old (pictured) allegedly tried to contact a fertility centre after his mother denied his request of creating a child with her. A chilling photo taken two days before the bodies were found shows him sitting above their shallow grave (pictured)

The 38-year-old (pictured) allegedly tried to contact a fertility centre after his mother denied his request of creating a child with her. A chilling photo taken two days before the bodies were found shows him sitting above their shallow grave (pictured)

'If the mother rejected, he might have acted in a rapt of fury and killed her. I would have to speak with him for two or three more hours specifically about his relationship with his mother. 

'But I think if we heard him speaking many hours more, we would get into this matter and we would know what really happened between them.'

The two-hour interview was conducted at Mendoza's San Felipe prison.

Following his arrest, Pereg asked police to show him his mother's dead body - a request that was refused by Argentinian officials.

'She's my mother. It's my right,' he is alleged to have said, according to local media.    

Pereg's charge was upgraded to aggravated homicide by use of firearm after a bullet found at the crime scene allegedly matched one from his registered firearms.  

Ms Sarusi, who lived in Israel, and Dr Pereg, who was based in Sydney, had flown to Argentina to visit Mr Pereg.

Investigators allege the two women were killed in a premeditated homicide within a day of arriving in the country.

The also allege Mr Pereg had booked a one-way flight to Rome for himself and four cats that was due to leave just three days after his aunt and mother arrived. 

Lily Pereg
Pyrhia Sarussi

Lily Pereg (left) and Pyrhia Sarusi (right) had been renting an apartment in Mendoza, Ms Sarusi's daughter Vered said in a Facebook post 

Prosecutor Claudia Rios told News Corp that Pereg had planned to fly to Rome on January 14, the same day he reported his mother and aunt missing. 

When asked why he booked an overseas flight when his mother and aunt were due to visit, Pereg allegedly told police he didn't think they would come to Argentina. 

Autopsy results released on Wednesday revealed Dr Pereg suffered three gunshot wounds to the chest from a Taurus .38 special handgun revolver.

Additional analysis will determine the exact cause of Ms Sarusi's death.  

The bodies of Ms Pereg and Ms Sarusi were found on a lot next to the home of Mr Pereg near the city of Mendoza last Saturday

The bodies of Ms Pereg and Ms Sarusi were found on a lot next to the home of Mr Pereg near the city of Mendoza last Saturday

A local gun shop owner said he had previously warned authorities about Pereg's repeated visits and that the regular customer once revealed he didn't get along with his family.

'I have trusted people in the government, and a while ago I had informed them about this boy,' El Tiroles armoury shop owner Aldo Chesi told the Mendoza Post.

'It is my duty to always warn, even if they come with the papers in order. I did it with him and many more.'

Dr Pereg had not been heard from for more than two weeks when her and Ms Sarusi's bodies were found in an abandoned lot neighbouring Mr Pereg's unit.  

Police allegedly found a bag covered in spots of blood during a search of his home. 

Several registered guns, a cut security camera cable and dissected cats were also found inside the home, the ABC reported. 

Ms Rios told local media there was security vision showing the two missing women entering the property with him.

'We don't have vision of them leaving the property,' Ms Rios said. 

John Finlay (left), who spent two weeks searching for his partner Dr Pereg (right), said she had recently been promoted at work and had gone to the country to help her sister, who was also found dead

John Finlay (left), who spent two weeks searching for his partner Dr Pereg (right), said she had recently been promoted at work and had gone to the country to help her sister, who was also found dead

Dr Pereg's shattered partner told Seven News of his heartache at losing the love of his life.

'It's a nightmare that won't go away,' John Finlay, who spent two weeks searching for his partner in Mendoza, said on Monday night.

'Lily was a beautiful soul and I probably will never find someone as loving as Lily again actually... I miss her, I just miss her,' Mr Finlay said through tears.

'She had the soul of an angel'. 

Dr Pereg was brought up in Israel where she obtained her undergraduate degree, later moving to Australia in the mid 90s.

She completed a PhD in the Department of Agricultural Science at Sydney University and later moved to the University of New England where she was recently made a professor.

She also chaired the soil, microbiology and biodiversity subdivision of the European Geosciences Union.  

The partner of a university professor found dead in a shallow grave in Argentina shared the depths of his grief earlier this week

The partner of a university professor found dead in a shallow grave in Argentina shared the depths of his grief earlier this week


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Son accused of murdering mother and aunt 'wanted to have a baby with his mum'

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