REPORT: Myriam Achkar's murderer sentenced to death

Mount Lebanon's Criminal Court chaired by Judge Faisal Haidar sentenced on Friday the Syrian national Fathi Jaber al Salatin to the death penalty for the premeditated murder of Myriam Achkar. The mournful family in Sahel Alma views the verdict with a high sense of realism and faith despite their deep sorrow.

Myriam’s brother, Tony Achkar told LBCI that as a committed Christian, he is against ending the life of a person. “In the legal field, the family will abide by the laws of the Lebanese state and society,” he said.            

Prior to its implementation, the death penalty verdict is passing through judicial departments and committees before being referred to Baabda Palace where it is due  to be signed by the president.      

During interrogations, the murderer, Fathi Jaber al-Salatin described his crime as “heinous” and his last request was as follows: “I demand to be hanged; even infidels do not do what I did.”        

The body of 28-year-old Myriam Achkar was found thrown in a wooded area between Sahel Alma and Harissa.         

Myriam went missing under mysterious conditions on Monday the 21st of November 2011 after she left her parents’ house in Sahel Alma.        

The victim first told her family that she would be visiting the nearby church, as she normally would, and would return for lunch by 2pm. When she failed to do so her family grew concerned and began their search.      

By the mid-afternoon, local residents and police began searching the area alongside the family.         

First, her clothes were discovered hanging from a tree.       

Shortly thereafter, her body was found inside a canvas bag, dumped along the face of a steep hill.        

Fathi Jaber al Salatin, a Syrian national who works as a janitor at a monastery close to the location of the deceased was arrested on suspicion of being behind this horrific crime.       
The man admitted to police that he committed the murder.         

He explained that he struck the victim on the head with a blunt object in a failed rape attempt.