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

[Meri]

Someone is giving the media the information about the money that she has spent, whether it is true or not. Even though the police denied that as a rumor in an earlier article, who is putting the information out there? And, why? Is it to protect Turkey from a bad reputation for other tourists to keep implying she spent "thousands" so that we will automatically assume she was using that money for something like drug trade? As if whatever happened to her must be her fault because of what she was involved in?

 

[ami]

Hendrick was the man who kept asking her if she was in Amsterdam. She replied that she had already left and was back in Turkey. I didn't see any pictures of her on his IG. Someone posted a nasty comment on one of his pictures. He didn't even know she was missing because it wasn't in the news in Holland. Information in this case is all over the place.

The picture of "HP" that people were getting upset about was a girl standing with the sun behind her you could only see her long hair and silhouette. I think people thought that was Sarai in the picture? But after looking up his account on other social networking sites and also considering his comments on her "serpent" picture on IG, it doesn't look like he even knew she was in A'dam until she was gone, and also like he has a partner with long hair who is a more likely candidate for that pic.

 

[ami]

Someone is giving the media the information about the money that she has spent, whether it is true or not. Even though the police denied that as a rumor in an earlier article, who is putting the information out there? And, why? Is it to protect Turkey from a bad reputation for other tourists to keep implying she spent "thousands" so that we will automatically assume she was using that money for something like drug trade? As if whatever happened to her must be her fault because of what she was involved in?

The number that was first reported ($10,000) to me sounded like a round number someone would make up if they didn't really know the value of things in US dollars and wanted to imply she was a wealthy American, or that she spent a lot of money.

Her basement room was $300 for 13 days. She was eating at mall cafeterias and couch surfing in Amsterdam. She didn't spend $10K on her trip. And if she were buying drugs with it (I don't for a second think she was, but for argument's sake) she would hardly charge it to credit card or withdraw $10K of cash so transparently that the police could find it on day 1 of the case.

I think a reporter must have asked it of the police or family as if it were a rumor they'd heard, and in the vacuum of any other useful information, others reported it as "sources speculate". That's just my guess.

 

[belimom]

Sarai Sierra, Staten Island mom missing in Turkey, was to meet man she knew online day she vanished: reports

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...ished-reports-article-1.1252131#ixzz2JaRD2OER

This Taylan guy posted a picture on 1/20 on IG. He hasn't posted on IG since. This isn't mentioned in the article above, I don't think, but if you find him on IG, you'll see the last photos he posted.

Seems to me that if someone had plans to meet her and they aren't involved in this, then they would come forward and say 'she never showed'. The fact that this person is quiet looks mighty suspicious. (Someone mentioned this upthread also).

Another article said that LE had identified the device he was using for IG. Not sure if it was the *type* of device, or the actual device (with serial number or phone number or something).

 

[belimom]

Also from the link above -- a group of Turkish citizens who have missing relatives are trying to help locate Sarai:

 

[looking4answers]

The picture of "HP" that people were getting upset about was a girl standing with the sun behind her you could only see her long hair and silhouette. I think people thought that was Sarai in the picture? But after looking up his account on other social networking sites and also considering his comments on her "serpent" picture on IG, it doesn't look like he even knew she was in A'dam until she was gone, and also like he has a partner with long hair who is a more likely candidate for that pic.

Yep exactly, which is why whoever is suggesting they met are clueless. Plus that picture is from at least a week or more before she was even in Europe, which basically makes it "impossible". Just more misinformation by the press.

 

[vesa]

The official, however, denied several Turkish media reports - that police were searching for an unknown man caught following Sierra on security camera footage; that Sierra had spent some US$12,000 during her stay in Istanbul; and that a narcotics team had searched her hostel room on suspicion that she might be a drug courier. "It's all made-up," he said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57566646/possible-suspect-for-nyc-mom-missing-in-turkey/

 

[belimom]

Yep exactly, which is why whoever is suggesting they met are clueless. Plus that picture is from at least a week or more before she was even in Europe, which basically makes it "impossible". Just more misinformation by the press.

I agree. I don't think it's HP that is the contact LE is looking for.

 

[looking4answers]

This Taylan guy posted a picture on 1/20 on IG. He hasn't posted on IG since. This isn't mentioned in the article above, I don't think, but if you find him on IG, you'll see the last photos he posted.

Seems to me that if someone had plans to meet her and they aren't involved in this, then they would come forward and say 'she never showed'. The fact that this person is quiet looks mighty suspicious. (Someone mentioned this upthread also).

Another article said that LE had identified the device he was using for IG. Not sure if it was the *type* of device, or the actual device (with serial number or phone number or something).

Sounds like a good analysis of his behavior. They said they have identified him, hopefully they question him soon.

 

[Meri]

The number that was first reported ($10,000) to me sounded like a round number someone would make up if they didn't really know the value of things in US dollars and wanted to imply she was a wealthy American, or that she spent a lot of money.

Her basement room was $300 for 13 days. She was eating at mall cafeterias and couch surfing in Amsterdam. She didn't spend $10K on her trip. And if she were buying drugs with it (I don't for a second think she was, but for argument's sake) she would hardly charge it to credit card or withdraw $10K of cash so transparently that the police could find it on day 1 of the case.

I think a reporter must have asked it of the police or family as if it were a rumor they'd heard, and in the vacuum of any other useful information, others reported it as "sources speculate". That's just my guess.

Oh, I agree that she probably didn't spend anywhere near the amount of money that is being "reported." What I am wondering is why this keeps being brought up at all, and who is giving out this information?

 

[necco]

Also from the link above -- a group of Turkish citizens who have missing relatives are trying to help locate Sarai:

How beautiful. Change the location, change the religion, change the color of people's skin, it doesn't matter. Good people exist everywhere.

 

[frenchvixen]

Someone is giving the media the information about the money that she has spent, whether it is true or not. Even though the police denied that as a rumor in an earlier article, who is putting the information out there? And, why? Is it to protect Turkey from a bad reputation for other tourists to keep implying she spent "thousands" so that we will automatically assume she was using that money for something like drug trade? As if whatever happened to her must be her fault because of what she was involved in?

<modsnip>. This is why this information was released regarding the 10k. I just didn't make sense that someone would spend so much in Turkey. The worse part is that the media ran with it.

 

[LaborDayRN]

"Galata Bridge is about 2 kilometers from her hostel"

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/individual_known_as_taylan_rep.html

"Communication between Sarai and Taylan, January 21:
Sarai to "Taylan": "I'll be down soon and the front of Galata Tower, Will you come?" First message."I'm on the way, you want me to call me? Second message.
"Taylan" to Sarai: "I'll be down there, I hope you are wireles.""

Site is in Turkish, so use google translate.

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/22485186.asp

"She stayed with a man named Ammer R., who posted photos of Sierra in Amsterdam on Facebook. Her family is friends with him on Facebook.

But there is another man, Hendrick P., who uploaded photos of Sierra to Instagram while she was visiting Amsterdam. The two messaged one another via the popular photo-sharing website."

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-305636-whom-did-sarai-sierra-meet-while-abroad.html

Cameras footage from &#304;stanbul Atatürk Airport:

http://www.aktuel.com.tr/webtv/haber/video/sarai-havalimaninda-boyle-goruntulendi?id=c56f58c8-94de-4b7c-b38a-44c7e78352e4

What does the reference to "I hope your are wireles" mean? As in a cell phone, or wearing a wire?

 

[vesa]

What does the reference to "I hope your are wireles" mean? As in a cell phone, or wearing a wire?

I think that this means a wireless connection in the cell phone.

 

[looking4answers]

What does the reference to "I hope your are wireles" mean? As in a cell phone, or wearing a wire?

They are using emails or facebook or twitter private messages, all three or any digital communication requires an internet connection, like right now...

...he wants to make sure he can contact her when there, so he wants to know if she has wireless connection.

 

[necco]

I get the feeling that a Latina traveling abroad must be involved in drugs. This is why this information was released regarding the 10k. I just didn't make sense that someone would spend so much in Turkey. The worse part is that the media ran with it.

Can you clarify what you meant by this?

 

[belimom]

I think that this means a wireless connection in the cell phone.

They are using emails or facebook or twitter private messages, all three or any digital communication requires an internet connection, like right now...

...he wants to make sure he can contact her when there, so he wants to know if she has wireless connection.

I agree. Here is a different online translation, from babelxl.com. Still a little choppy with some phrases, but babel used 'there are wirelessin' instead of 'you are wireles'. I think he was trying to say that he hopes there is cell phone or wireless data coverage in the area, which makes me wonder just where they were meeting:

' LET'S MEET ' message in GALATA Sarai Sierra, ' Tang ' that person, "I come from the Galata Tower in front of ya, right?" message. At this time the last post again in the Sierra, 11.33, "I'm on the search from the phone to reach me," he said. At this time in ' Tanner ' 12.45 user, "I'm with ya, hopefully there are wirelessin" message. The police information, gathered around the Galata Tower and the camera images. Police also had met with the United States, while in the Sierra also set. Taylan

 

[KivaSupporter]

Wonder what are the chances she ended up in the water while taking pictures?

Last stop: Mrs Sierra told her mother on her last day in Istanbul she planned to visit the Galata Bridge but missed her flight back

http://www.newsgrio.com/latest-news/31103-sarai-sierra-missing-in-turkey-mother-went-on-several-trips-out-of-the-country.html

 

[necco]

Wonder what are the chances she ended up in the water while taking pictures?

Last stop: Mrs Sierra told her mother on her last day in Istanbul she planned to visit the Galata Bridge but missed her flight back

http://www.newsgrio.com/latest-news/31103-sarai-sierra-missing-in-turkey-mother-went-on-several-trips-out-of-the-country.html

I'd think someone would have noticed, but we all know how many missing persons cases are solved in rivers, so it's quite possible.

 

[belimom]

Wonder what are the chances she ended up in the water while taking pictures?

Last stop: Mrs Sierra told her mother on her last day in Istanbul she planned to visit the Galata Bridge but missed her flight back

http://www.newsgrio.com/latest-news/31103-sarai-sierra-missing-in-turkey-mother-went-on-several-trips-out-of-the-country.html

That is a possibility. But it's further down on my list of probable explanations. The reason I say this is because she had plans to meet this Taylan guy that day to head to the bridge. In the text messages referenced above, he was going to get there before her and was concerned if there would be cell and/or data coverage -- I guess either for her to call him or to look up his location on a map, I guess? Which makes me think they weren't meeting right there at the bridge b/c having any type of "wireless" coverage wouldn't be an issue there, I don't think. It's too populated not to have coverage, IMO.

Also, if he did see her that day and then she fell in later (on her own), seems like he would come forward and say, "Yeah, we met then she went on her way, etc, etc."

Honestly? I think he is with her somewhere, whether or not she is with him voluntarily or being held (I'm thinking she is with him against her will). I think that is why he can't be located and/or isn't coming forward. I believe that if he had harmed her and she were deceased () then he would have come forward by now and claimed innocence, not knowing where she went next after meeting with her.

I could be wrong, obviously, but that's just my take on it all...