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

[lovemyhuskies]

fwiw, she has a Samsung Galaxy not an iPhone. (i know, i know, same-same, only different lol)

snipped...She has hazel eyes and would have had her Samsung Galaxy, iPad, NY State Drivers License and an extra pair of shoes with her.

http://gangsofbrooklynnewyork.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/missing-abroad-sarai-sierra/

Thanks, I was about to post the same thing regarding the Galaxy vs iphone. Personally, I went from an iphone to a Galaxy and the photo quality from the Galaxy STINKS compared to the iphone. I'm not all that familiar with Instagram but I don't see it turning blurry photographs in to masterpieces. So, I also think it's odd that she's using her Galaxy as her camera.

 

[necco]

Thanks, I was about to post the same thing regarding the Galaxy vs iphone. Personally, I went from an iphone to a Galaxy and the photo quality from the Galaxy STINKS compared to the iphone. I'm not all that familiar with Instagram but I don't see it turning blurry photographs in to masterpieces. So, I also think it's odd that she's using her Galaxy as her camera.

She also had an iPad. People use them as cameras.

 

[ami]

One part that troubles me is that her passport was in her room. I would NEVER go anywhere in a foreign country without my passport. It would be with me at all times. I did make copies, but I kept those in my hotel room and always had the real passport with me.

I'm the opposite. I always lock up my real passport and carry copies for identification. In fact you're told to do this in the places I travel (N and E Africa, Central America, etc).

She also had an iPad. People use them as cameras.

I think in the one picture she took of the sun coming through the buildings she said she takes pics with her Galaxy (phone) and edits them on her ipad.

 

[Wanting2Help]

Sierra's last contact was reportedly a Turkish man who was using the name Taylan online. The two arranged to meet by Galata Tower on Jan. 21

According to Sierra's email transcripts, she sent a message to Taylan in the morning on Jan. 21, the day of her disappearance, but it was not delivered. She then immediately left her accommodation after sending a second email in which she told Taylan that she would meet him at Galata Tower at 12:45 p.m. After examining hundreds of hours of security camera footage, police said they were able to identify Sierra for the last time at 11:33 a.m. on İstiklal Street on the day she was planning to meet Taylan.

BBM

Is İstiklal Street near/at the Galata Tower? I could not find it on Mapquest.

 

[Hexe]

BBM

Is İstiklal Street near/at the Galata Tower? I could not find it on Mapquest.

It leads in the direction of the Galata Tower.

 

[Drella]

Does anyone know for sure WHEN her flight home was leaving?

I might have missed something while reading the thread, but the last day she was there, she was meant to meet someone at the Bridge at lunchtime?

Yet, the United flight leaves Istanbul at 1.55pm according to their website. Of course, the schedule may have changed.

Just interested in having confirmation of the actual time of her flight that day.

 

[bellyup]

I can't shake the feeling that Sarai met someone on the internet and it was a "romantic" type of feeling for her. Perhaps the two corresponded for a good bit of time on IG (and /or other sites or texts, etc. ) and she developed a trust of him, even feelings for him. Of course, she'd tell her husband he was a harmless tour guide.

For me, as a woman similar to Sarai in my lifestyle / kids / etc. it would take a pretty big motivation for me to go to a foreign country, in a hostel (or private arrangement), alone. Especially after planning to go with a friend who suddenly backs out. I'm a VERY adventurous and have a creative, even rebellious & risky streak at times..... but going to Istanbul? First trip abroad, ever? Alone?

The only motivation I can come up with is ... She thought she was in love.
It kinda fits with the fun flirty comments on IG, with meeting someone (rather last minute) before taking off. Wanting to see him just once more before she left.....

Which leaves the door open to the possibility that she's run off with Mr. Perfect. lease: The problem is that Mr. Perfect may well not be who she thought he was. :what:

 

[monkey222]

How does MRodriguez know SS has an extra pair of shoes with her? when she went missing? Maybe theywernt in suitcase retrieved from room? Confused.

 

[looking4answers]

You can buy heroin in Amsterdam pretty easily. The drug laws there are very lax. If you get caught selling it, it could be a problem but possessing it is not the same thing as getting caught with it in Thailand or another place like that.

Plus she's a perfect mark for someone who could technically pretend she was unaware she was being used as a drug mule. If anything they would have tried to use her to track down the original dealer.

She went from the heart of where drugs originate in Turkey straight into the country with the most lax drug laws in the world. She was there for one day.

Perhaps she realized after getting to Amsterdam that this is what had happened and that's why she got the heck out of Dodge by going to Munich immediately.

Maybe this is also why she wanted to cut her trip short, she realized she had gotten caught up in something bad. She's not going to say anything about it to her family while she is still there because if she got caught she could have been detained.

Perhaps she caused the person she was dealing with to realize that she had caught on to what was going on and she was kidnapped for this reason.

I don't see this ending well.

My butcher is from Turkey, he and his wife said that where she stayed is a very bad location for a tourist right in the heart of a very non touristy part of the city.

Though I appreciate everyone's thoughts on here, and it is an interesting thought, I couldn't disagree more. I have seen and read all her Instagram posts, before going to Europe, in Europe and as well as those of the friends she hung out with in Amsterdam. There is absolutely nothing in her personality, behaviors, and actions in this timeframe to suggest this. I believe this is as likely as her being abducted by aliens. It is not based on anything I have seen, and I also doubt the detectives are even remotely looking at this. She was engaged in risky behaviour of meeting many people from online whom she trusted implicitly. Either one of these, or a random changed the course of her return.

 

[looking4answers]

I can't shake the feeling that Sarai met someone on the internet and it was a "romantic" type of feeling for her. Perhaps the two corresponded for a good bit of time on IG (and /or other sites or texts, etc. ) and she developed a trust of him, even feelings for him. Of course, she'd tell her husband he was a harmless tour guide.

For me, as a woman similar to Sarai in my lifestyle / kids / etc. it would take a pretty big motivation for me to go to a foreign country, in a hostel (or private arrangement), alone. Especially after planning to go with a friend who suddenly backs out. I'm a VERY adventurous and have a creative, even rebellious & risky streak at times..... but going to Istanbul? First trip abroad, ever? Alone?

The only motivation I can come up with is ... She thought she was in love.
It kinda fits with the fun flirty comments on IG, with meeting someone (rather last minute) before taking off. Wanting to see him just once more before she left.....

Which leaves the door open to the possibility that she's run off with Mr. Perfect. lease: The problem is that Mr. Perfect may well not be who she thought he was. :what:

I believe this is a possible scenario. Either abduction, harm, or romantic interest. The only reason I feel this one is more an outlier, is because she has 2 kids whom she loved, not disdained. As well, from all accounts, she was very open and communicative with her hubbie, skyping and txting him during her trip etc. Remember, she even said she missed them and could not wait to be home sooner. If she had left on her trip and said I will talk to you when I get back and had limited contact because she was off galivanting, then maybe I would lean more towards this one, but the psychology of her behaviors fit only to either a) harmed/abducted or b) had possible sexual escapades BUT intended to return. c) running off forever with someone new and leaving her kids forever, seems very unlikely. Then again, I will say, these are just my thoughts, and none of us have any idea until we know.

 

[Orgona]

We heard that she changed her flight to come home earlier to surprise their children.
Maybe when she changed her booking no direct flights were available anymore, or only in business class, which could have costed much more if she originally flied in coach. The solution could have been to book a non direct flight and that could explain/account for the longer than normal travel time.

 

[KivaSupporter]

BBM

Is İstiklal Street near/at the Galata Tower? I could not find it on Mapquest.

The distance is approximately 2 miles.

 

[frenchvixen]

Does anyone know for sure WHEN her flight home was leaving?

I might have missed something while reading the thread, but the last day she was there, she was meant to meet someone at the Bridge at lunchtime?

Yet, the United flight leaves Istanbul at 1.55pm according to their website. Of course, the schedule may have changed.

Just interested in having confirmation of the actual time of her flight that day.

I would like to know if she actually did change her flight or she only said she did. How can you have an early afternoon flight and go out to the bridge at the time you should actually be calling a taxi to the airport?

 

[Drella]

I would like to know if she actually did change her flight or she only said she did. How can you have an early afternoon flight and go out to the bridge at the time you should actually be calling a taxi to the airport?

Yeah, I am a bit confused by this.

Looking at the initial reports, it says she was leaving 'in the evening'. I think I read that she was flying United into Newark?? Is this correct?

I have only looked at up coming schedules, and at flights out of Istanbul over the next few weeks, and there are no evening direct flights to Newark. They leave early in the afternoon. Meaning that meeting someone at lunch time on the day she left makes little sense. But of course, as I said in my previous post it may be that the schedules have changed.

Could it be that it was an indirect flight, and she was flying out later and planning on stopping over somewhere? Of course, they'd know already IF this had been the case, and she's show up on another flight manifesto to somewhere other than Newark.

Just thinking aloud!

 

[monkey222]

And, she could'nt have flown anywhere since she was seen on Iz. St. because she has no passport. Do we know if this was the first in person meeting on Jan 21 w Talon or is this the Amsterdam "tour" guy?

 

[KivaSupporter]

While the Beyoglu neighborhood in which Sarai Sierra was staying is an upscale area full of nightlife and historic landmarks, Komurcu Zeynel Street, where her room is located, is one of the more dangerous parts of the district. The district is home to immigrant communities made up of Roma and Africans, and is known for heroin dealing and prostitution.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/359747/28/Security-camera-spotted-missing-US-woman-in-Turkey

 

[frenchvixen]

Yeah, I am a bit confused by this.

Looking at the initial reports, it says she was leaving 'in the evening'. I think I read that she was flying United into Newark?? Is this correct?

I have only looked at up coming schedules, and at flights out of Istanbul over the next few weeks, and there are no evening direct flights to Newark. They leave early in the afternoon. Meaning that meeting someone at lunch time on the day she left makes little sense. But of course, as I said in my previous post it may be that the schedules have changed.

Could it be that it was an indirect flight, and she was flying out later and planning on stopping over somewhere? Of course, they'd know already IF this had been the case, and she's show up on another flight manifesto to somewhere other than Newark.

Just thinking aloud!

I think I figured out the confusion. She was leaving on the 22nd not the 21st. She went to the bridge on the 21st and this is where she met with foul play. I hope there are cameras around that can tell the authorities exactly what happened.

 

[frenchvixen]

While the Beyoglu neighborhood in which Sarai Sierra was staying is an upscale area full of nightlife and historic landmarks, Komurcu Zeynel Street, where her room is located, is one of the more dangerous parts of the district. The district is home to immigrant communities made up of Roma and Africans, and is known for heroin dealing and prostitution.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/359747/28/Security-camera-spotted-missing-US-woman-in-Turkey

<modsnip>. Why would you travel so far and stay somewhere like this on your first trip? There are better ways of meshing in with locals than this.

 

[ami]

Yeah, I am a bit confused by this.

Looking at the initial reports, it says she was leaving 'in the evening'. I think I read that she was flying United into Newark?? Is this correct?

I have only looked at up coming schedules, and at flights out of Istanbul over the next few weeks, and there are no evening direct flights to Newark. They leave early in the afternoon. Meaning that meeting someone at lunch time on the day she left makes little sense. But of course, as I said in my previous post it may be that the schedules have changed.

Could it be that it was an indirect flight, and she was flying out later and planning on stopping over somewhere? Of course, they'd know already IF this had been the case, and she's show up on another flight manifesto to somewhere other than Newark.

Just thinking aloud!

So January 20th is the day she's seen on the security camera video, and the last day her landlord said he saw her around the apartment.

??? - some reports have her meeting "Taylan" at the Bridge on January 20th, and some on January 21st - ???

Her sister said she'd gotten a text or other electronic message from her on January 21st "in the morning" (don't know whose morning, US or Istanbul), and implied that Sarai was leaving Turkey that evening. And other reports also have her leaving the 21st, right?

Her dad was waiting at the airport for her on January 22nd, so that was the day she was supposed to arrive in the US.

- I do see a Turkish Airlines/United partner flight leaving tonight, as an example, at 610pm and getting into Newark NJ at 430am. -

 

[monkey222]

How far is her hostel from bridge? Walking time? Taxi time r/ t? Taxi time to airport plus extra international bag checkin time..... This last minute site seeing makes no sense..unless she had an evening flight. And she wasnt packed..from what I read...and had not checked out.... Exactly When??? was flight changed? Had she planned on meeting Taylon before flight change or after? Something transpired IMO that caused her not to ve prepared, luggage, checking out, were measures made for airport taxi pickup from hostel?? All normal on departure day on long trip.