Maronite Priest Murdered in Lebanon’s Jbeil District
Family found his body in Ain Jrain after he vanished while heading home for an olive harvest; ISF probes robbery as a worker fled in his car.
Fr. Samir Mikhael Daou, a Syriac Maronite priest serving parishes in Lebanon’s Jbeil District, was found murdered on Thursday, October 29, 2026, on the second floor of a house he owned in his native village of Ain Jrain. He had been missing since Wednesday afternoon. Family members discovered the body with visible signs of blood. He did not ordinarily live at the property.
The priest, pastor of the parishes of Hsoun and Ferhet in the Maronite Diocese of Jbeil, was last known to have been heading toward his hometown with a Syrian worker or workers he had hired to help harvest olives. His final phone signal was recorded in Jbeil city around 1 p.m. Wednesday before the device was switched off.
Investigation Continues
Initial accounts and remarks by Jbeil MP Simon Abi Ramia pointed toward suspicion involving the Syrian worker or workers. One is said to have fled in the priest’s car. Authorities have raised the possibility of a robbery motive. No official suspect or confirmed motive has been announced. Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces Criminal Investigation Department is leading the inquiry and has collected forensic evidence.
Maronite Bishop of Jbeil, Michel Aoun, followed developments while at the Council of Bishops in Bkerke. He contacted the Lebanese Army and Information Branch officials and requested searches of wooded areas, including helicopter support. The Maronite Archbishopric of Jbeil condemned the “horrific crime,” recalling that Fr. Daou “devoted his life to the service of God and the faithful.” It thanked security forces and urged the public not to spread unverified rumors.
The Daou family collective issued a statement Thursday denouncing the “heinous crime.” They described the priest as a man who “dedicated his life to serving others and lived sincerely, humbly and with love for everyone,” who “harmed no one and left behind nothing but love, a good reputation and a positive impact.” The family called for a complete judicial investigation, pursuit of those responsible, the harshest legal penalties, and insisted that “justice must not be murdered after a human being has been murdered.”
Jbeil MP Ziad Hawat also condemned the killing, questioning the state’s security capacity and pointing to the dominance of illegal weapons and armed thugs.
Funeral and Witness of Service
The funeral is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026 — All Saints' Day — in Jbeil. Christians in Lebanon continue to face insecurity amid broader national fragility. The Church’s call remains clear: the full truth, lawful justice, and steadfast prayer for a faithful priest who served God and his people to the end.