Norah Horwitz is the suspect accused of stabbing her prominent dentist father Abbey Horwitz to death in Virginia Beach, Virginia, according to Virginia Beach Police.
According to a press release from the Virginia Beach Police Department, “On June 3, 2023, at 8:54 A.M., officers from the Virginia Beach Police Department responded to a call for service in the 1300 block of Wren Place.”
“Officers located Dr. Abbey Horwitz (M/68) suffering from multiple stab wounds. Dr. Horwitz was pronounced deceased by EMS at 9:13 A.M. Michael (Norah) Horwitz (F/34) of Virginia Beach was arrested and charged with 2nd Degree Murder and Stabbing in the Commission of a Felony. She is currently being held at the Virginia Beach Jail,” the release said.
The New York Post reported that, according to police, Horwitz is transgender and in the process of transitioning.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Norah Horwitz Is Accused of Stabbing Abbey Horwitz to Death During a ‘Family Fight’
Norah Horwitz was supposed to appear in court for a bond hearing but it was withdrawn so Horwitz could “figure out legal counsel” after being assigned a public defender, according to WTKR.
The motive for the stabbing is not clear. The New York Post reported that the stabbing occurred during a “family fight.”
According to 13NewsNow, Horwitz is under suicide watch in the jail.
A neighbor told The Virginian-Pilot that the doctor’s death was like a “Greek tragedy.”
“What I will always remember is he was always having his whole family together, kind of like ‘The Waltons,’” the neighbor said of Abbey Horwitz to The Virginian-Pilot. “… He seemed like the consummate family guy.”
2. Norah Horwitz Is 1 of 3 Children Born to Dr. Abbey Horwitz & His Wife Brenda
According to The Art of Dentristry, Horwitz’s dentistry, Abbey Horwitz was “married to his wife Brenda for over 25 years and is the proud parent of their three children, Michael, Shayna and Jonathan.”
“They are collectively the local educational product of the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, Cape Henry Collegiate, the Governor’s School of the Arts, First Colonial and Cox High School,” the website says. “Being an active part of the community, serving as President of the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and as President of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, doing community care dentistry for our neighbors who are in need as an ongoing project are just some of the ways he tries to give back.”
The website adds: “Dr. Horwitz has also been involved in volunteer dental services and projects in Israel, Romania and the former Soviet Union. Recently, Dr. Horwitz traveled to Nicaragua through Physicians for Peace to train dental professionals on good oral hygiene.”
It continues,
Growing up in the Bronx, Abbey graduated Fordham University before attending the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry in Richmond. Upon graduation he moved to Virginia Beach to open his own practice. Along the way he has attended numerous continuing education programs in all facets of dentistry with strong concentrations on comprehensive care for difficult cases, all phases of cosmetic dentistry as well as attending the year and a half long Maxi course on dental implants at New York University’s School of Dentistry. Dentistry is an ever changing and growing art and learning is such an important part of offering the very best care.
3. Norah Horwitz Is a Portland-Based Artist Who Uses the ‘Drag Alter Ego’ Menorah Horwitz
According to Floating World Comics, Menorah Horwitz “is the drag alter ego of Portland based artist Michael Horwitz. He received his BFA in Film and Television studies from New York University and his MFA in Visual Studies from Pacific Northwest College of Art.”
The site continues: “Previous printed projects include the self-published ‘My Boyfriend Walt Whitman’ and ‘The Wookie Woof Book.’ His work has been featured in PDX Contemporary Art, PICA’s Time Based Arts Festival, Disjecta, and Linework NW. In 2015 he was named ‘A Queer to Watch’ by Advocate.com.”
Paste Magazine wrote of the artist: “Perhaps the only person to ever graduate from an editorial position at Marvel Comics (it didn’t work out) to performing in drag shows and drawing Wookie porn, Menorah Horwitz has crafted a one-of-a-kind path for herself through, around, away from and back into the comic world.”
The Advocate wrote that “Skanky Lisa Frank” is “how a friend of Michael’s described him, and that sounds about right. A Seattle-area illustrator, Michael can be caught drawing portraits at bars, creating fliers and zines, and making up soap operas on Facebook.”
“I love making things that are rooted visually in stuff that I loved as a kid, be that ballet, classic portraits, superhero comics, cartoons, fashion magazines, and Lifetime TV,” Horwitz told The Advocate. “I also try to emphasize and announce my own sexual and romantic desperation, like in the My Boyfriend Walt Whitman Facebook soap opera. In that project I dated someone named Walt Whitman for eight months; he liked to write poetry and I liked to remind people that I have a boyfriend who wrote poetry. We were a very creative couple.”
The Advocate continued: “Last year Horowitz illustrated a Star Wars sex zine with collaborator Kevin Kauer, titled The Wookie Woof Book. Since then, he’s exhibited queer paper dolls at the Linework NW fest and done a residency at the Portland Art Museum, and he’s working on a new porn zine.”
Horwitz is referred to as Michael Horwitz in some of these articles but used Norah Horwitz on Facebook. Horwitz’s Tumblr and Instagram pages are deleted.
4. Norah Horwitz Posted Artwork & a Black Lives Matter Graphic on Facebook
On Facebook, Norah Horwitz posted selfies, artwork, and a Black Lives Matter graphic.
In 2017, Horwitz wrote on Facebook, “Thanks to everyone who posted their personal stories for International Mental Health Day yesterday. Sharing your words and experiences did more than you know. Please be kind to yourselves today and everyday. Lots of love.”
“Protect Black trans women,” read a graphic shared by Horwitz.
5. Patients Gave Dr. Abbey Horwitz Glowing Reviews, Praising His ‘Wonderful Practice’ & ‘Attentive’ Care
Google reviews for Dr. Abbey Horwitz are generally positive. “Such a wonderful practice,” wrote one reviewer. “Dr Horowitz was also wonderful and funny and endearing as always. Receptionists very kind and lovely too. The only dentist for me!”
“Always attentive, understanding, caring and patient as well as providing the best care you can find,” wrote another.
Wrote another reviewer, “I’ve been a patient for over 20 years and can’t say enough about the level of care Abbey and his team shows my entire family.”
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