Bio

Samuel Sheinbein was born in 1980 in the United States. He grew up in a middle-class family in Montgomery County, Maryland. Samuel was the son of Sol and Victoria Sheinbein. His father, Sol, held dual citizenship in both the United States and Israel, as he was born in British-ruled Palestine. Samuel attended the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, where he would meet his future friend, Aaron Needle.

By the summer of 1997, Sheinbein was finishing his junior year at Kennedy High School. He had academic challenges and social issues during his teenage years. He struggled with fitting in and had conflicts with peers, including a complicated relationship with a girl he liked. Samuel was known to have offered a friend a large sum of money to harm someone out of jealousy.

Sheinbein's friendship with Aaron Needle grew during this time. They engaged in activities typical for high school students but faced difficulties like many adolescents. Both of them were seeking acceptance and companionship.

As the summer went on, the friendships within their group started to shift. Tensions arose among them, especially with Alfredo Enrique Tello Jr. This mix of personal challenges and peer dynamics played a significant role in the events that followed.

In September 1997, Samuel would find himself at a critical point in his life. On September 16, a day that would change everything for him, he was involved in a tragic incident that ultimately led to his arrest. Just days later, he fled to Israel with his father's help.

Murder Story

On September 16, 1997, Samuel Sheinbein and Aaron Benjamin Needle killed Alfredo Enrique Tello Jr. in Montgomery County, Maryland. They used the butt of a sawed-off shotgun to beat him. After killing Tello, they dismembered his body and tried to cremate the remains.

When authorities began to suspect Sheinbein, he fled to New York City. With the help of his father, Sol Sheinbein, who had dual citizenship, he traveled to Israel. Twelve days later, on September 28, 1997, Samuel Sheinbein was arrested in Israel.

Both the United States and Israeli governments sought his extradition. However, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that he could not be extradited. As a result, Sheinbein was tried in Israel. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison on October 24, 1999. He became eligible for parole in 2013.

The case created significant diplomatic tensions between the United States and Israel. Some representatives in the U.S. even threatened to cut foreign aid to Israel if Sheinbein was not extradited. Meanwhile, Aaron Needle, who was also involved in Tello's murder, hanged himself in jail before his trial.

Samuel Sheinbein was a senior in high school at the time of the murder. His father was later charged with obstructing a police investigation in the U.S. Samuel Sheinbein has an outstanding warrant from Interpol for his return to the United States if he leaves Israel.