Ibolya Ryan, an American kindergarten teacher was stabbed to death in a shopping mall, located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 47-year-old was killed by an attack from a person dressed as a local woman, during a conflict in a bathroom. Video recordings taken from closed-caption cameras show the assailant entered the bathroom 90 minutes before the killing, and did not exit until after the murder had taken place.
Ryan was a divorcee, originally from Denver, Colorado, who was teaching on Reem Island.
The American embassy in the capital city of Abu Dhabi issued a warning to teachers in November, alerting them to possible threats from extremist groups. Following the fatal attack, the embassy altered its warning, advising all Americans in the country to be aware of possible attacks from religious militants.
"Avoid large crowds or gatherings of unknown origin or circumstances when traveling in public; Know where you are going and have a plan of what to do in the event you encounter demonstrations or violence," The U.S. Embassy in the United Arab Emirates advised.
The murderer was last seen on camera leaving the mall, wearing an abaya cloak and black gloves.
Witnesses at the Bourik Mall report hearing an argument in the lavatory, with one person shouting to another, "Sit down or I'll kill you!"
Ryan was later found dead of multiple stab wounds, laying in a pool of her own blood on the bathroom floor. Early reports suggest the woman was stabbed at least 6 times.
The murderer walked calmly to the car park following the deadly attack, even waiting for an elevator car to arrive.
Authorities investigating the crime have not yet determined the gender of the murderer. On the way into the mall, the attacker asked security personnel where the bathroom was located. Dressed head to toe, including a full veil, the murderer picked up a free magazine on the way into the lavatory.
The length of time spent in the bathroom by the assailant previous to the attack suggests the murder was premeditated, and may have been specifically targeted toward Ryan. The Criminal Investigation Department, headed by Colonel Rashid Borshid, is investigating possible motives for the murder.
Ryan taught at the Al Oula kindergarten in Abu Dhabi, more than a half-hour drive from the downtown area.
"Also I have high interest in other languages; one of my goals while here in the UAE is to gain some proficiency in Arabic," Ryan wrote in an online profile for an educational Web site.
Ibolya Ryan leaves behind a pair of 11-year-old twin boys. They were protected by police until their father, who was divorced from the victim, could fly in from Europe.
The victim was born in Hungary, and raised in Romania. She was trained as a teacher in the United States.
