Police in Virginia announced that the state's most famous dentist was found murdered after being stabbed at his home during a family dispute over the weekend. In a press release, they stated, "Police officers found Dr. Abby Horowitz, 68 years old, suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene." Police arrested his daughter, who they said is transgender, 34-year-old Michael "Nora" Horowitz. The woman was charged with murder and second-degree assault as a felony. However, the police have not yet revealed the motive for the crime.
Nora Horowitz appeared in court for the first time via video conference from jail, informing the judge that she works as a dishwasher at a restaurant. A public defender was appointed to represent her. According to the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office, the suspect daughter was placed under suicide watch. Her father had been practicing orthodontics for over 42 years. A former patient told "News Now 13", as reported by the "New York Post", that the doctor and his wife Brenda, 25 years old, had just retired in February and were looking forward to traveling.
The former patient described the late doctor as "a very funny man" but "always professional. He makes you feel comfortable no matter what procedure he is performing." Horowitz lived with his family in a sprawling four-bedroom, five-bathroom home valued at approximately $2.1 million, which he purchased in 2015, according to the real estate site "Zillow." He had traveled months earlier to Nicaragua as a volunteer with Physicians for Peace to conduct training on good oral hygiene. A neighbor indicated that Horowitz often gathered his four-generation family around bountiful tables in his garden.
