The Judea Military Court on Tuesday convicted Muntasir Shalabi for the terror murder of 19-year-old Yehuda Guetta in a drive-by-shooting on May 2 at Tapuah junction.
The legal proceedings moved forward at a fast pace with the IDF prosecution filing an indictment on June 10 and the trial opening on June 29.
Shalabi, 44, was also convicted of multiple attempted-murder counts after he wounded two other 19-year-olds during the attack.
The indictment was filed following a combined interrogation by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the police.
Five others were previously indicted in the Judea Military Court for obstruction of justice by giving Shalabi a place to hide during the initial manhunt when he managed to avoid arrest.
All five are being kept in police custody until the conclusion of their trials.
In late June, there was an additional suspect who was also expected to be indicted for harboring Shalabi in his efforts to avoid authorities.
Shalabi was eventually arrested in Silwad, northeast of Ramallah.
A resident of Jerusalem, Guetta had been a student in the Itamar Yeshiva. He is survived by his parents, four brothers and two sisters.
“Yehuda in the last few days, we worried as you fought for your life, we prayed from the depths of our hearts that you would overcome your wounds, and across the entire country we begged for your recovery, but this morning, to our great sorrow, these prayers have turned to a eulogy,” Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, said at Guetta’s funeral on May 6.
“Our hearts are broken – but our spirits are strong,” Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan said, calling upon the government to establish a settlement near Tapuah junction in Guetta’s memory.
“I send sincere condolences to Yehuda Guetta’s family,” then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said within minutes of hearing of the young man’s death. “These are difficult moments for the Guetta family, and the entire nation of Israel shares in your sorrow.”
“My heart goes out to the Guetta family who lost Yehuda tonight, only 19 years old, who was shot during the heinous terrorist attack at the Tapuah Junction,” a statement by Defense Minister Benny Gantz read.
A sentencing hearing has been set for October 4.
Tovah Lazaroff and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.