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

[Bonnie Blue]

I feel so bad for her family that is over there. With the embassy being bombed where do you go to get help figuring out what is going on?

 

[necco]

I feel so bad for her family that is over there. With the embassy being bombed where do you go to get help figuring out what is going on?

Bonnie, there is a US consulate in Turkey.

(There is one embassy, that's in Ankara and was bombed. There are three consulates: Istanbul, Adana and Izmir.)

 

[ToutCa]

4) My theory - I think she was taken on 1/21 by someone who found out she was leaving earlier than expected and didn't want her to leave. Once he restrained her from leaving, he couldn't just let her go. She has been missing since 1/21, but the story didn't break in the media until about 1/25 (a week ago). When the story broke and it became big news, the person who had her, had to get rid of her and killed her. I find it interesting that her body was found dumped, a day after the prime suspect was released from police custody.

I don't think she was a drug mule. There's just no evidence to support that possibility other than the money.

That's the most plausible theory I've heard, esp. if there were no guns involved.

I wouldn't be surprised if we circle back to Taylan/TK or a like male with some sort of romantic fixation...and events could then have played out along the lines you describe.

 

[necco]

US citizens are being asked to avoid the Embassy at Ankara as well as the consulates in Adana and Istanbul.

That being said, the foreign service employees are still there and every embassy and consulate has someone on call 24/7. Even if the family cannot go to the physical building, I'm sure the consulate staff is in contact with the family.

 

[necco]

yes, it was a serious question. I don't know what the formalities are when transferring bodies abroad. That's why I asked.

frenchvixen:
http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/death_ac_abroad.html

 

[ami]

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/nyc-woman-killed-by-blow-to-head-turkey-police_826818.html

Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin said today that forensic experts had not concluded their autopsy report on the victim, Sarai Sierra, but that it was "clear" the head injury caused her death.

I'm still wondering if this means she wasn't "stabbed in the upper abdomen" and that entire line of reporting was wrong?

eta: this is probably a better link as it has more of the story, including the report of a witness seeing "a hand", etc: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57567326/turkish-police-confirm-nyc-mom-sarai-sierras-murder/

 

[CMac2]

I had to kind of step back and go back to basics. Humans are humans, regardless of the country they live in/visit. Overwhelmingly, when a woman is murdered, she is killed by someone known to her. Random crime is not unheard of, but statistically, someone is many times more likely to be harmed by someone she's familiar with than by a total stranger.

We have a case here in which a mysterious man (whose story seems to change as time goes by) who, if not the last person to see SS, certainly was one of the last few known to have communicated with her. At this point, playing the odds, my money is on Taylan. I'll happily eat my words if that isn't the case, but that's where I'm sitting at the moment.

Is it possible Taylan, perhaps inappropriately attached to SS, didn't know she had cut her trip short until the last minute? Maybe when he found out she was leaving (him) to go back home so soon, things went south.

Just throwing ideas out there.

 

[belimom]

Authorities detained 11 people, including two women, after the grisly find, Turkish news outlets said.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/vanished_si_mom_found_butchered_BEONmaUw9u9kmflcPyIpEI

If 11 people are being detained (or 9, as has also been reported), then it is possible that this was an unorganized streetcrime gang of sorts. The multiple wounds she sustained could be that someone acted independently of the others, etc., and that the stabbing and 'head blow' (whatever it is - gun shot or not) may not have been coordinated prior. With that many people, someone is bound to be a roque and lose their cool about what they're supposed to be doing. But just b/c 11 people are being detained does not mean all 11 were present when she was killed.

Having said that, however, I find it extremely odd that her electronics and jewelry were still with her. She probably had a backpack or something she carried the iPad in so I'm assuming that it was still with her as well. Does not fit the description of a robbery, does it?

Either she stumbled across something she wasn't supposed to, or she got involved in something she wasn't supposed to (knowingly or not).

I still wonder about the group of IGers who convinced her to come visit Turkey to begin with. Of course, they would not know that she was going to be alone in the end. That implies that there were more people than just Taylan that she knew in Turkey before arriving. And that knew her itinerary.

Some people she met through the service encouraged her to visit the ancient Turkish city, her husband said. They offered to act as tour guides.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/02/world/turkey-missing-woman/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[ToutCa]

We have a case here in which a mysterious man (whose story seems to change as time goes by) who, if not the last person to see SS, certainly was one of the last few known to have communicated with her. At this point, playing the odds, my money is on Taylan.

I'm with you, my money is also on Taylan, as it's the most logical explanation (but one that also infuriates me as a male...why must men do such things??).

BUT I also think it's important to point out that his story, while weird, has been consistent. He says he IM'ed with SS on the 21st, went to the Galata Bridge to meet her, where a crucial email exchange was botched, he waited and waited, never saw her, and gave up and left. End of story.

I don't buy it. It sounds like something cleverly concocted to explain his presence where she disappeared (he may have been observed by witnesses or on CCTV video around there, or his phone pinging may place him there). I'll eat my words too if wrong, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't him.

 

[ToutCa]

If 11 people are being detained (or 9, as has also been reported), then it is possible that this was an unorganized streetcrime gang of sorts.

Most likely the multiple detainees are just random people in the area -- druggies, homeless, witnesses of one sort or another. Best bet is that none of them are involved. JMO

 

[lavy]

Just wanted to make it clear there is NO mention of gun shot in turkish media.
I checked all the links where the reason was translated as "gunshot". It is just a translation mistake or head trauma, hit to her head etc. As you probably have noticed by now google translate does not work well for turkish.

 

[michellemarls]

I'm with you, my money is also on Taylan, as it's the most logical explanation (but one that also infuriates me as a male...why must men do such things??).

BUT I also think it's important to point out that his story, while weird, has been consistent. He says he IM'ed with SS on the 21st, went to the Galata Bridge to meet her, where a crucial email exchange was botched, he waited and waited, never saw her, and gave up and left. End of story.

I don't buy it. It sounds like something cleverly concocted to explain his presence where she disappeared (he may have been observed by witnesses or on CCTV video around there, or his phone pinging may place him there). I'll eat my words too if wrong, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't him.

Lets say this Taylan met Sarai (which i think is highly likely too), I think that he could have suggested to Sarai that he could take her to a wonderful place (nearby) that had fantastic photographic opportunities. He is local to the area and could have convinced Sarai to go with him to photograph something that would be of interest to her. Since this was her last day before leaving. maybe it sounded like an opportunity not to be missed.
Lets say when they arrived at this said place Taylan made a pass at Sarai..maybe he completely misread the signals (cultural differances, language barriers?) and Sarai responded in the way he didn't expect an thats when something happened....maybe he became enraged...maybe...maybe...maybe...argh!! There are lots of maybes.

 

[michellemarls]

Just wanted to make it clear there is NO mention of gun shot in turkish media.
I checked all the links where the reason was translated as "gunshot". It is just a translation mistake or head trauma, hit to her head etc. As you probably have noticed by now google translate does not work well for turkish.

I was starting think that must be the reason for the conflicting reports. Thankyou for clearing that up.

 

[ToutCa]

Just wanted to make it clear there is NO mention of gun shot in turkish media.
I checked all the links where the reason was translated as "gunshot". It is just a translation mistake or head trauma, hit to her head etc. As you probably have noticed by now google translate does not work well for turkish.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Google Translate is sooo frustrating. It's great we have a native-speaking expert here to correct us (especially me) when we/I err!!!!

 

[michellemarls]

Police told CNN’s sister network CNN Turk that the body of the 33-year-old mother of two showed signs of stab wounds

.

http://wtvr.com/2013/02/03/sarai-sierra-found-dead-body-of-missing-ny-mother-found-in-turkey/

I'm thinking that maybe Sarai did have stab wounds to her abdomen BUT it was a blow to her head that was the actual cause of death.

 

[CMac2]

Wondering whether or not SS was alone the entire time she was spotted on security footage at the Galata Bridge? I know they've confirmed she was there just prior to her disappearance, but I'm curious as to whether or not she was seen communicating with anyone or not.

Same question applies re: footage of SS in the Sarayburnu district. Was she alone then as well?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/02/03/turkey-sarai-sierra/1887385/

Detectives scanned through footage of about 1,000 security cameras to trace her movements and were eventually able to narrow down the last places she visited — they spotted her on the Galata Bridge on the day she disappeared, and also in the Sarayburnu district where they ended up finding her body.

 

[ToutCa]

Wondering whether or not SS was alone the entire time she was spotted on security footage at the Galata Bridge? I know they've confirmed she was there just prior to her disappearance, but I'm curious as to whether or not she was seen communicating with anyone or not.

Same question applies re: footage of SS in the Sarayburnu district. Was she alone then as well?

None of this footage has been released.

In the 12:10pm Galata Bridge footage she was said to be alone and walking toward Eminonu Pier (and the Sarayburnu area).

In the 1:15pm Sirkeci footage she was said to be walking toward the Sarayburnu area. Nothing was said about whether she was alone or not.

 

[michellemarls]

Istanbul Police Department Crime Scene Investigation Branch teams at the scene at regular intervals since last night launched a large-scale research. Team continues to examine the crime scene for a long time, the U.S. has completed studies at the location of the body of Sarai Sierra. The teams with the evidence collected from the crime scene, leaving two earrings and a headset during the examination was allegedly found buried in the ground. Teams in the other branch of the investigations into the incident continues. - Istanbul

http://www.haberler.com/sarai-sierra-nin-kupeleri-bulundu-iddiasi-4301623-haberi/

Now the above is courtesy of Google translate, so may mean something completely unrelated to what it seems to say.

I was just curious about the mention of a headset and the mention of it being buried.

Once again, i, as we all are aware of, know that the translation makes things unclear.

 

[CMac2]

http://www.haberler.com/sarai-sierra-nin-kupeleri-bulundu-iddiasi-4301623-haberi/

Now the above is courtesy of Google translate, so may mean something completely unrelated to what it seems to say.

I was just curious about the mention of a headset and the mention of it being buried.

Once again, i, as we all are aware of, know that the translation makes things unclear.

Wonder what kind of headset- like headphones for an ipod or a bluetooth-type set?

Also, I do tend to think that SS' online communications with Taylan leading up to her trip abroad likely made her more willing to trust him than she probably would have been, had she not communicated with him previously. They'd been chatting for 4 months, according to him. He also says he encouraged her to come to Istanbul to take pictures. In her mind, she was probably going to a country that a "friend" lived in, which I believe gave her what turned out to be a false sense of security.

Depending on the level of communication prior to the trip- how intense it was, how often it occurred, etc- that's ample time for someone (Taylan) to become inappropriately attached. To her, it could have been a networking opportunity, a chance to make a good friend from a different culture, a chance to learn about humans in other places. Who knows how he took it, however. We hear about people getting scammed by what they thought were legitimate internet relationships all the time. Manti Teo, anyone?

 

[lavy]

No problem about the translation, I'm glad that I can help. Let me know if you want something to be translated.

Again few updates from turkish media:

-They have done a detailed search in the area with a big group and dogs from very early morning until 15:30. The total search time in two days was about 11 hours. It is finished now.

- Police asked for her gmail correspondence through interpol and they believe they will find some answers from there.

-They had found a headphone and 2 earrings close to where she was found. They will be analyzed to learn if they belong to her.

Although first reports said she had golden earrings and a chain as bracelet on now they are saying they found golden earrings and a golden chain which is long enough to wrap around 3 times as a bracelet and a necklace. They were BURRIED to the ground.


-It is certain that she was carried and they are still waiting for DNA results from the blanket.


-Police spoken to 23 people by now including street cleaners and garbage collectors.

-Her IPAD and phone are missing.

-Autopsy is finished, it is certain that she had a head trauma. Report is not completed yet.

-Officials said it is NOT true that she spend 15,000 dollars. She didn't had enough money so her husband transferred 500 $ (first 150 and then 350)

-They also said they don't suspect anything related to drugs.

I also noticed that the speculations from drug smuggling and drug mafia were deleted from the page we were reading earlier. No mention of drugs at all. Just started to think maybe it was from some "smart" journalist and nothing to do with police.


All this information is said to be from the press conference from the head of Istanbul police Huseyin Capkin which was held in the airport so I believe they are true.

http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/816902-flas-sarainin-olum-nedeni-belli-oldu