Director and Wife Murdered in Their Home: Darlush Mehrjui's Stabbing Explained

The Iranian director and his wife were reportedly stabbed in their homes by the assailant.

By Andrew Roberts

Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui was recently found murdered alongside his wife, Vehideh Mohammadifar, with both succumbing to stab wounds in their own home. The director was 83 years old, while his wife was a 54-year-old screenwriter.

Iranian police have since arrested a suspect, labeling him the main killer after identifying and confirming their identity. "Interrogations are still ongoing to identify the accomplices and hidden angles of this murder," an official statement read.

According to The Tribune, police arrested 10 people connected with the crime, with "personal differences" being listed as a possible motivation behind the slaying.

According to Deadline, the director's daughter was the first to discover the scene, with Mona Mehrjui visiting on Saturday evening and finding the grim mess. The victims both had reported knife wounds in their necks, with the director's wife having shared on social media that she'd received knife threats in the weeks leading up to the slaying.

Mehrjui's career is best known as being part of Iran's film new wave in the early '70s. His second film, The Cow, gets the nod as being the first film of this wave, paving the way for what would follow.

He studied under Jean Renior at UCLA's Department of Cinema in 1959, later starting his own literary magazine in 1964 titled Pars Review. He credits the legendary director for teaching him how to best contend and work with actors.

Mehrjui's death sparked a slew of mourning and sorrow, with many also sharing their stories in relation to his output. He was also honored with a Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival and a Golden Seashell at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in 1998 and 1993 respectively.

The director and his wife were laid to rest on Thursday in the artists' section of the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in southern Tehran, according to the IRNA state news. The couple's funeral happened the day before, welcoming several major names in Iran's film industry and "hundreds of mourners."

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