Prominent Virginia dentist allegedly stabbed to death by daughter
A respected Virginia Beach dentist was allegedly stabbed to death by his daughter at his home during what police said was a “domestic dispute.”
On Saturday morning, Dr. Abbey Horwitz, 68, was found by police with multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, Virginia Beach police said in a statement press release.
His 34-year-old daughter, Norah Horwitz, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and stabbing and is being held in the Virginia Beach Jail.
In prison records, she appears as Michael and police said she was in transition.
The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office said she was being monitored in prison and that she was under suicide surveillance Virginian pilot reported.
dr Abbey Horwitz (pictured), 68, was a respected Virginia Beach dentist who was allegedly stabbed to death by his daughter on Saturday morning
The dentist’s 34-year-old daughter, Norah Horwitz, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and stabbing
The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office said Horwitz was under surveillance and was under suicide surveillance in the Virginia Beach Jail
Police were called to Horwitz’s home at 1304 Wren Place in the Birdneck Point neighborhood of Virginia Beach at 8:54 a.m. Saturday, according to the press release.
About 20 minutes later, at 9:13 a.m., ambulance services said he was pronounced dead.
Horwitz appeared in court via video call Monday morning and was appointed by the judge to take on her case, the local broadcaster reported WTKR reported.
Footage received from the broadcaster shows Horwitz in her prison cell.
A bail hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, but she reportedly withdrew the hearing while she sought alternative counsel.
According to a website dedicated to his dental practice, The Art of Dentistry, Abbey Horwitz was a Bronx native and studied at the Virginia School of Dentistry in Richmond before moving to Virginia Beach.
He was active in the local Jewish community and volunteered as a dentist in Israel, Romania, the former Soviet Union and Nicaragua.
Police were called to Horwitz’s home at 1304 Wren Place in the Birdneck Point neighborhood of Virginia Beach (pictured) at 8:54 a.m. Saturday
Pictured is Norah Horwitz appearing in court via video call on Monday and she has been assigned a public defender to take on her case
The suspect, Norah Horwitz, appears in prison records as Michael and is believed to be in transition
Horwitz operated his dental practice less than two miles from his home.
A local business owner and longtime Horwitz client told WTKR his passing would be felt throughout the Virginia Beach community.
“He was instrumental in getting us started here.” “He jumped right on board and gave us advice, came to our grand opening without even having to ask him,” said Michele Nielson.
“It wasn’t uncommon for us to drive to work and he had a full mobile detail service visiting all the staff’s cars. “Just such a generosity, and you just don’t come across a lot of things anymore,” she added.
He also served the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, which in a statement described him as a “wonderful man.”
A neighbor told the Virginian pilot that Horwitz often hosted barbecues for his parents, children, and grandchildren.
In Virginia Beach, Horwitz operated a dental practice, The Art of Dentistry (pictured in March 2023), less than two miles from his home
A Bronx native, Horwitz attended the Virginia School of Dentistry in Richmond before moving to Virginia Beach
“What I’ll always remember is that he always had his whole family together, kind of like ‘The Waltons,'” they said.
“He seemed like the consummate family man.”
A neighbor across the street, who asked not to be named, told the newspaper that they had been a dental patient at Abbey’s for five to 10 years.
“Pretty good guy, solid guy, no problems.” The family kind of took care of themselves. “They’re good people, it’s just really sad,” the neighbor said.