GUILTY Turkey - Sarai Sierra, 33, NY woman murdered, Istanbul, 21 Jan 2013 - #1

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On a side note, I was reading a twitter for a woman also named Sarai Sierra. She commented a couple days ago that she didn't know why she was getting so many requests to friend her on FB and IG from foreign guys, especially from Turkey and the middle east and that she had to make her accts private. Someone told her about SS missing. Kind of creepy to me.
 
KivaSupporter said:
Police are now looking for four Turkish citizens who contacted the missing 33-year-old Sarai Sierra while she was in Istanbul, including a man named “Taylan” who arranged to meet Sierra by the Galata Tower.

Police found online chat transcriptions that took place between Sierra and a man called Taylan, showing the two arranging a meeting by Galata Tower on Jan. 20.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/missing-american-was-to-meet-turkish-man-police-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=40175&NewsCatID=341
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The more I read the more worried I become. This makes me think of the crime shows that I watch on ID. Many times adult male predators earns the trust of the unsuspecting woman by behaving on their first few encounters. Maybe this is what happened. She met him at the Bridge on Sunday and everything went smoothly and so when he invited her a second time she didn't think twice b/c he was a perfect gentleman. Then his true colors came out..
 
jcamille said:
While it does seem strange that she took two one day trips to other countries, it doesn't to me.

I have traveled in Europe and on one trip, I spent 8 days in Paris, but I went on two-one day trips back to back - one to London and one to Brugges, Belgium.

The reason I only went to each for one day and on back to back days, was because the day trips were offered by a tour operator, City Tours. Those tours in November, were only offered two days of the week. So, my itinerary was Paris for 4 days, London - a 12 hr trip., back to Paris for the night, seven hours later, I left for Belgium and returned to Paris 15 hrs. later, then spent a two more days in Paris.

If anyone looked at my itinerary, they would think it was strange that I went to two other countries for just one day each, but there was a reason behind the scheduling.
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That makes sense.

I wonder if there is an English language paper or tourist information brochure that advertises inexpensive short trips from Istanbul. I would prefer knowing that she initiated the side trip, although we do know that at least she returned safely from it.
 
Is it possible that her family mixed up their last date of contact with her? The person at the apartment that she rented stated that he last saw her on Jan 20th which would make sense if she met with foul play on her meeting at the bridge. But, if her family spoke to her on the 21st (the day that she was deparing) then something else happened. Also, I know that I don't really do much on the day of my departure. I pack and get myself together to get back home. Why would she still be sightseeing or meeting with others on her departure date? Why did the renter not see her on that day?
 
frenchvixen said:
Some people are very naive especially if you have been married to the same man since you were a teenager. They are protected and when alone have that same sense of protection. On a side note, as a mom I plan my trips around my kids' schedule. Why did she not wait for spring break and her kids could stay with grandma and grandpa and her and hubby can go together? I understand that she probably wanted to so something alone but when I travel during school season I can't enjoy it as much.
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Ditto...
 
frenchvixen said:
Is it possible that her family mixed up their last date of contact with her? The person at the apartment that she rented stated that he last saw her on Jan 20th which would make sense if she met with foul play on her meeting at the bridge. But, if her family spoke to her on the 21st (the day that she was deparing) then something else happened. Also, I know that I don't really do much on the day of my departure. I pack and get myself together to get back home. Why would she still be sightseeing or meeting with others on her departure date? Why did the renter not see her on that day?
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I hope they wouldn't make a mistake in the date, as it's so crucial when someone is missing. I wonder if the message was of the normal kind, or just a quick one such as "leaving now, see you soon" that could have been sent by anyone.

If her flight left on the 21st and she was due to land in the US the next day (22nd), her flight must have left pretty late (even with the time difference) so she probably would have had plenty of time to go out to eat on the 21st and possibly meet someone for a last meal.
 
Dion said:
I hope they wouldn't make a mistake in the date, as it's so crucial when someone is missing. I wonder if the message was of the normal kind, or just a quick one such as "leaving now, see you soon" that could have been sent by anyone.

If her flight left on the 21st and she was due to land in the US the next day (22nd), her flight must have left pretty late (even with the time difference) so she probably would have had plenty of time to go out to eat on the 21st and possibly meet someone for a last meal.
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I can't remember which article, but her husband said he called United Airlines and she hadn't gotten on the flight. UAL has a daily non-stop from Istanbul to Newark, departing at 12pm Istanbul time, gets in at 4:30pm the same day Newark time. Even if she took UAL flights with connections, she would get in the same day in Newark because they leave before 1pm Istanbul time, some leaving at 5am or 6am.
 
This AP article says correspondence through email rather than Fb and Twitter which was mentioned elsewhere. Hopefully the IP will help.

Turkey's private Dogan news agency, citing unnamed sources, said Sierra had exchanged messages through her email account with a person who went by the name of "Taylan" although it was not known if that was his real name or an alias. It claimed the two agreed to meet on Galata Bridge, a tourist destination about 2 kilometres (more than a mile) from her hostel.

Dogan said police were scanning through security camera images around the bridge to see if the alleged meeting ever took place. The agency said police had identified the IP address of the device "Taylan" had allegedly used to correspond with Sierra.
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http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/story.html?id=7892820
 
Well this is great sleuthing by the Turkish Police. I am impressed. So they were to meet at the Galata Tower and she was going to take pictures of the Galata Bridge? I think they may be unto the suspect.
 
lucky181 said:
I can't remember which article, but her husband said he called United Airlines and she hadn't gotten on the flight. UAL has a daily non-stop from Istanbul to Newark, departing at 12pm Istanbul time, gets in at 4:30pm the same day Newark time. Even if she took UAL flights with connections, she would get in the same day in Newark because they leave before 1pm Istanbul time, some leaving at 5am or 6am.
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I'm reading it as if she was leaving on the 21st and landing on the 22nd. Do we know for sure her flight was leaving on the 22nd? I know the Daily Mail is not always the most accurate at reporting, but I have seen the same info elsewhere. It's confusing.

Sarai Sierra, 33, has been missing since January 21 when she was supposed to return home to Staten Island from the two-week trip
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Sarai was supposed to land in the U.S. on January 22, but she never arrived. Airline staff at Newark Airport told her husband she had never boarded her flight.
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...w-York-mother-internet-vanished-Istanbul.html
 
frenchvixen said:
The more I read the more worried I become. This makes me think of the crime shows that I watch on ID. Many times adult male predators earns the trust of the unsuspecting woman by behaving on their first few encounters. Maybe this is what happened. She met him at the Bridge on Sunday and everything went smoothly and so when he invited her a second time she didn't think twice b/c he was a perfect gentleman. Then his true colors came out..
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I find this bizarre. I'm not a cautious or fearful woman but I'll be damned if I'd meet someone from Turkey I talked to online.
 
1. Amsterdam friend/"tour guide" she met on around the 15th, left him on around the 18th. Hung out with him "Devon Miles" and his friend "Ed Jansen", stayed at Devon's place, loved using his tub, and went to pot cafes while the guys definitely smoked not sure if she did, and he took her all around Amsterdam to take pics. He has tons posted during this time on his IG. All of this is documented on his IG. There is also the joke of a 3some, either in jest because they were online buds meeting up, or who knows. She alludes to something similar when they go out after the first night taking a train track reflection shot "Two is better than one..".

She then leaves Amsterdam, and if she goes to Munich for one day, who cares about any of this. She returns to Turkey, as documented by her travels, pics, and now security cameras. Amsterdam was a trip, the guys were simple and a non issue.

2. Turkey "new" friends. This is where things are murky, and I do believe as the smart detectives are finding out, that this is where she met or bumped into someone and either something happened or she decided to elope. I HIGHLY doubt the last one. a) she loves her kids, b) has good communication with her hubbie of 14 years txting/skyping all the time even if there were deep seeded curiosities c) was just overly friendly and non judging due to her obvious faith, I think she uses prayer hands in all her IG posts. So this means the first one is HIGHLY probable. If the police have narrowed down who in Turkey she was last meeting supposedly this "Taylan" guy, find and rule them out, and go onto next. It seems though that this might be the guy since Turkey has news of her everywhere, and if he hasnt come forward yet to say "hey I was last with her she left fine.." then makes him look even more like a prime suspect. A normal person who saw a TV or paper after a few days, would at least say she was okay last he had seen her if he had met her, especially if he is smart and knows his email communications will be tracked soon enough. They know she msgd her fam about going to Galata Bridge, they also know he msgd her about meeting there. Yes it is possible that maybe something happened to her BEFORE or yes even AFTER from someone else. Find him though and rule him out first, or detain and question him and hopefully find her..safe.

With the info seemingly on the right track now, I feel confident we will know something either way soon.

Pray for Sarai
 
looking4answers said:
1. Amsterdam friend/"tour guide" she met on around the 15th, left him on around the 18th. Hung out with him "Devon Miles" and his friend "Ed Jansen", stayed at Devon's place, loved using his tub, and went to pot cafes while the guys definitely smoked not sure if she did, and he took her all around Amsterdam to take pics. He has tons posted during this time on his IG. All of this is documented on his IG. There is also the joke of a 3some, either in jest because they were online buds meeting up, or who knows. She alludes to something similar when they go out after the first night taking a train track reflection shot "Two is better than one..".

She then leaves Amsterdam, and if she goes to Munich for one day, who cares about any of this. She returns to Turkey, as documented by her travels, pics, and now security cameras. Amsterdam was a trip, the guys were simple and a non issue.

2. Turkey "new" friends. This is where things are murky, and I do believe as the smart detectives are finding out, that this is where she met or bumped into someone and either something happened or she decided to elope. I HIGHLY doubt the last one. a) she loves her kids, b) has good communication with her hubbie of 14 years txting/skyping all the time even if there were deep seeded curiosities c) was just overly friendly and non judging due to her obvious faith, I think she uses prayer hands in all her IG posts. So this means the first one is HIGHLY probable. If the police have narrowed down who in Turkey she was last meeting supposedly this "Taylan" guy, find and rule them out, and go onto next. It seems though that this might be the guy since Turkey has news of her everywhere, and if he hasnt come forward yet to say "hey I was last with her she left fine.." then makes him look even more like a prime suspect. A normal person who saw a TV or paper after a few days, would at least say she was okay last he had seen her if he had met her, especially if he is smart and knows his email communications will be tracked soon enough. They know she msgd her fam about going to Galata Bridge, they also know he msgd her about meeting there. Yes it is possible that maybe something happened to her BEFORE or yes even AFTER from someone else. Find him though and rule him out first, or detain and question him and hopefully find her..safe.

With the info seemingly on the right track now, I feel confident we will know something either way soon.

Pray for Sarai
Click to expand...

Excellent first post ---- WELCOME! I agree 100%. I think she was very open on IG and very trusting of fellow IGers...

:welcome:
 
looking4answers said:
1. Amsterdam friend/"tour guide" she met on around the 15th, left him on around the 18th. Hung out with him "Devon Miles" and his friend "Ed Jansen", stayed at Devon's place, loved using his tub, and went to pot cafes while the guys definitely smoked not sure if she did, and he took her all around Amsterdam to take pics. He has tons posted during this time on his IG. All of this is documented on his IG. There is also the joke of a 3some, either in jest because they were online buds meeting up, or who knows. She alludes to something similar when they go out after the first night taking a train track reflection shot "Two is better than one..".

She then leaves Amsterdam, and if she goes to Munich for one day, who cares about any of this. She returns to Turkey, as documented by her travels, pics, and now security cameras. Amsterdam was a trip, the guys were simple and a non issue.

2. Turkey "new" friends. This is where things are murky, and I do believe as the smart detectives are finding out, that this is where she met or bumped into someone and either something happened or she decided to elope. I HIGHLY doubt the last one. a) she loves her kids, b) has good communication with her hubbie of 14 years txting/skyping all the time even if there were deep seeded curiosities c) was just overly friendly and non judging due to her obvious faith, I think she uses prayer hands in all her IG posts. So this means the first one is HIGHLY probable. If the police have narrowed down who in Turkey she was last meeting supposedly this "Taylan" guy, find and rule them out, and go onto next. It seems though that this might be the guy since Turkey has news of her everywhere, and if he hasnt come forward yet to say "hey I was last with her she left fine.." then makes him look even more like a prime suspect. A normal person who saw a TV or paper after a few days, would at least say she was okay last he had seen her if he had met her, especially if he is smart and knows his email communications will be tracked soon enough. They know she msgd her fam about going to Galata Bridge, they also know he msgd her about meeting there. Yes it is possible that maybe something happened to her BEFORE or yes even AFTER from someone else. Find him though and rule him out first, or detain and question him and hopefully find her..safe.

With the info seemingly on the right track now, I feel confident we will know something either way soon.

Pray for Sarai
Click to expand...

I think you are on the right track. I can't shake that she went missing within hours of getting on the plane. It seems very odd to me. One of two things happened: she eloped or was taken. Don't think she was planning on that happening. Also, this person of interest should have came out of the woodwork by now. The Turkish police has already sent him a cryptic message that they have his IP address. This translates that "we're on to you buddy.. show your face" but still nothing from this person. Another thing does anyone think that her surveillance photo is strange. It looks like she is trying to disguise herself. Why is her hat so low on her head? She looks like she is hiding herself. I noticed that immediately.
 
This info is even more worrisome. It seems like she was incredibly naive. Who would stay in a strange man's house in a foreign country? Or even meet strangers like that? I say this, but at the same time, many of my friends, who are smart, professional woman, do these type of things, meeting guys online, etc and I am always so worried about them. It seems odd though for a married women to meet strange guys on the Internet. Was she lying to her husband when saying that the Dutch guy was a tour guide? Was he under the impression she was going on a tour, w a group? It seems maybe he was, but it seems like he was just HER tour guide, not a tour guide for a group. Indeed, it seems like he was just an IG friend, rather than a licensed guide,

The Amsterdam guys may be nothing, I think, but she might not have been so lucky meeting similar people in turkey...that is what worrisome.
 
frenchvixen said:
I think you are on the right track. I can't shake that she went missing within hours of getting on the plane. It seems very odd to me. One of two things happened: she eloped or was taken. Don't think she was planning on that happening. Also, this person of interest should have came out of the woodwork by now. The Turkish police has already sent him a cryptic message that they have his IP address. This translates that "we're on to you buddy.. show your face" but still nothing from this person. Another thing does anyone think that her surveillance photo is strange. It looks like she is trying to disguise herself. Why is her hat so low on her head? She looks like she is hiding herself. I noticed that immediately.
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bbm

I thought that of the entire surveillance video... Not only was her cap pulled down low but she seemed to be holding her head down and hardly any of her face was showing. I can't figure out why she would do that, though. I don't think it was for the cameras. I wonder if she knew she was being followed or was trying to evade someone...? :waitasec:
 
frenchvixen said:
Some people are very naive especially if you have been married to the same man since you were a teenager. They are protected and when alone have that same sense of protection. On a side note, as a mom I plan my trips around my kids' schedule. Why did she not wait for spring break and her kids could stay with grandma and grandpa and her and hubby can go together? I understand that she probably wanted to so something alone but when I travel during school season I can't enjoy it as much.
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She planned this trip with one of her female friends, not alone, and the friend had to back out. She was traveling between college semesters, hence the schedule. Once you're a wife and mother, it doesn't mean you can never be an individual person again - a woman in her 30's taking a photography trip alone or with friends is a completely normal and positive thing. Yes, something clearly went wrong with her vacation, but things could have gone wrong outside her front door in NY as well.

frenchvixen said:
Is it possible that her family mixed up their last date of contact with her? The person at the apartment that she rented stated that he last saw her on Jan 20th which would make sense if she met with foul play on her meeting at the bridge. But, if her family spoke to her on the 21st (the day that she was deparing) then something else happened. Also, I know that I don't really do much on the day of my departure. I pack and get myself together to get back home. Why would she still be sightseeing or meeting with others on her departure date? Why did the renter not see her on that day?
Click to expand...

I get the feeling she was leaving in the evening. She was to arrive in the US on the 22nd, so she was probably leaving Istanbul in the evening of the 21st. Her sister said she'd gotten a quick message from her on the 21st in the morning (which time zone's morning, I don't know), so SS probably had plenty of time to take off and do a little more sightseeing, or whatever.
 
frenchvixen said:
Does anyone know what SS or her hubby do for a living? Why is this rumor going around that she spent either 10k or 12K. I can't imagine spending even half of that in Turkey. I too, was looking for a male on video probably following her.
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Apparently someone just made up the $10K or $12K number. I think she's a chiropractor assistant (?) and her husband is a city bus driver.
 
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