An American businessman was killed in his Odessa, Ukraine, hotel room, apparently from a knife wound inflicted during an attempted robbery.

According to Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Avraham Wolff – the city’s chief rabbi who is working with the family and city authorities to bring 52-year-old Asaf Yagudaev back to the United States for a proper Jewish burial – the murder took place between July 5 and 6, but police officials did not release any information until this week.

As soon as he found out, Wolff convinced investigators to not conduct an autopsy, which under most circumstances violates the Jewish prohibition against harming a corpse.

“Our concern is that this Jew should be given a proper Jewish burial as quickly as possible,” said the rabbi. “We hope his return to the United States will happen in the coming days.”

Wolff was quick to add that from all appearances, anti-Semitism did not play a part in the crime.

“We trust the security forces” to thoroughly investigate the murder, said Wolff.