The son of Lily Pereg, one of two Israeli sisters whose bodies were found in Argentina this weekend after they were reported missing by concerned family members earlier this month, was arrested by local police on Saturday and was being questioned in connection with the deaths of his mother and aunt.
Police reported that the bodies of Lily Pereg, 54, and her sister, Pyrhia Sarusi, 63, had been found buried on the grounds of the home of Nicolás Gil Pereg.
The bodies were found after blood discovered on a previous search of Pereg's home was tested and turned out to be a match. The blood was found on an old shirt of Pereg's that was hidden in a sack of construction materials. The blood was matched to a DNA sample from the women's toothbrushes, which police took from the holiday apartment the sisters had rented.
Sarusi and, and Lily Pereg arrived in Argentina earlier this month, where they were supposed to be visiting Pereg's son, Nicolás.
Relatives of Sarusi and Pereg, who also holds Australian citizenship, reported the two missing after last making contact with them on Jan. 11.
Nicolás Pereg, 36, told local media that he had not seen his mother and aunt since they boarded a bus in Mendoza. He also said they rented an apartment not far from his home.
Police have not yet announced any theory about the motive of the killings, but Pereg is reported to be deep in debt.
