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

[tardislass]

From my local news:



This is the first I've seen that the landlord has an attorney. Also, interesting to note description of the area- weak lighting in the building, drug dealing not uncommon. I guess it's sounding more and more plausible that a random act is at play here. Especially if she was perceived as "wealthy", as ThinkHard eluded to.

Not totally ready to let Taylan off the hook yet... but this does provide food for thought.

As a POI and someone who's been questioned by the police, I'm not surprised the guy has a lawyer. I'd probably do the same. Has their been any indication of how she found the apartment. As the Turkish people have said, the neighborhood isn't the best and as an American woman, there are budget hotels abd holiday apartments around the area. Especially if she wasn't in Istanbul the whole time. I wonder if one of her online friends recommended it. As a first time tourist, while the rent is cheap, it doesn't seem the type of place to rent for a vacation. I would have thought that her Turkish friends would have said something about it.

The hotel I was looking at in Sirecki has a small double breakfast included for 60 dollars a night in the low season. I know her husband said she researched the trip but did she even look in a travel forum?

 

[ThinkHard]

I am assuming just to mislead police. If its not sexual assault or robery they would focus on a personal attack. If they think it is a sexual assault than they would focus on drug addicts living in that area. Am I right?

Yes, basically to waste time, efforts, and resources looking in the wrong direction and distancing the real perpetration further and further from the crime.

 

[tresptip]

nevermind

 

[ThinkHard]

As a POI and someone who's been questioned by the police, I'm not surprised the guy has a lawyer. I'd probably do the same. Has their been any indication of how she found the apartment. As the Turkish people have said, the neighborhood isn't the best and as an American woman, there are budget hotels abd holiday apartments around the area. Especially if she wasn't in Istanbul the whole time. I wonder if one of her online friends recommended it. As a first time tourist, while the rent is cheap, it doesn't seem the type of place to rent for a vacation. I would have thought that her Turkish friends would have said something about it.

I think the landlord could make sense as part of a group working together to scam a tourist.

She made friends on social networking sites, perhaps one of those friends said "hey I have a good friend who rents out a room really cheap, he's a great guy"

 

[Moxie Vi]

Aw...this doesn't look good. Translation is below:

Investigation is hazy. It is been clear that reason for death is that she was hit to head by an object. According to preliminary investigation she had her jeans and underwear below her knees. There has been NO signs of rape but they are focusing on rape attempt or she was attached when urinating. Again the blanket and other items are tested in criminal labs.

2 earrings, 1 headphone

Police found 2 earrings and a headphone under the ground (burried?) during the detailed investigation. Police questioned 20 people who live nearby. Police thinks it is a very low possibility that she was killed by people who live nearby (i believe they mean people who live around the walls) as her jewelery were not taken. Police is trying to find the person who caused her to go to Sarayburnu. (wonder how do they know somebody took her there)

No signs of her being a secret agent or drug smuggler.

500 surveillance has been inspected and she was followed from home to Sirkeci. As they couldn't find her after sirkeci 200 police searched her there. Except Taylan who she had met twice in turkey she has been talking to 3 other people on internet.Turkish police headquarters contacted Gmail throught Interpol for the emails. (so was it lie that her husband knew her password?)

Rest is old news.


--Sorry for the delay. No, I am not watching the superbowl. I was out for grocery shopping. Don't think Turks do watch it. Also Europeans don't too, sorry guys

BBM

Perhaps they are looking for the IP address to determine where/who she was emailing prior to going missing. Just a guess on my part.

 

[CMac2]

As a POI and someone who's been questioned by the police, I'm not surprised the guy has a lawyer. I'd probably do the same. Has their been any indication of how she found the apartment. As the Turkish people have said, the neighborhood isn't the best and as an American woman, there are budget hotels abd holiday apartments around the area. Especially if she wasn't in Istanbul the whole time. I wonder if one of her online friends recommended it. As a first time tourist, while the rent is cheap, it doesn't seem the type of place to rent for a vacation. I would have thought that her Turkish friends would have said something about it.

The hotel I was looking at in Sirecki has a small double breakfast included for 60 dollars a night in the low season. I know her husband said she researched the trip but did she even look in a travel forum?

The funny thing is, I haven't heard anything at all about how she felt at any point during her entire trip. I think that's a lot of the reason why we're having such a tough time grasping the overall theme of the case. We're spending a lot a lot of time speculating on whether or not she felt safe and countless other circumstances- it would be helpful if we had an idea from her own mind of what her impression actually was.

 

[CMac2]

BBM

Perhaps they are looking for the IP address to determine where/who she was emailing prior to going missing. Just a guess on my part.

Is Wifi available and/or easily accessible in the general vicinity of the Galata Bridge? Taylan's final message to SS asked whether or not there was Wifi when they were emailing that final day about meeting up. If Galata Bridge doesn't have any wifi accessibility, he'd know it before she would, which makes me suspicious. If it does have wifi, that's a different story, IMO.

 

[ThinkHard]

Is Wifi available and/or easily accessible in the general vicinity of the Galata Bridge? Taylan's final message to SS asked whether or not there was Wifi when they were emailing that final day about meeting up. If Galata Bridge doesn't have any wifi accessibility, he'd know it before she would, which makes me suspicious. If it does have wifi, that's a different story, IMO.

The cafes along the bridge have wifi. They have password protected accounts so patrons have to the server for the code. Wifi would not have been readily available to her if she was just walking along there.

I think in the direct quote you said wireless, and I wasn't really sure what he meant by this, whether wifi or just a wireless connection. Regardless I thought it was a weird thing to txt someone.

 

[tardislass]

Is Wifi available and/or easily accessible in the general vicinity of the Galata Bridge? Taylan's final message to SS asked whether or not there was Wifi when they were emailing that final day about meeting up. If Galata Bridge doesn't have any wifi accessibility, he'd know it before she would, which makes me suspicious. If it does have wifi, that's a different story, IMO.

Most cafes restaurants and hotels have wifi. Though I don't think its available on the outside. From what the Turkish police have said, it seems they have a good idea how she died but may be keeping mum as not to jeopardize the investigation. I also know the Consulate and FBI are helping out. So I really hunk they know more then they are letting on, ie searching the ruined walls. Either they saw her on camera near here or some informant lead them.

 

[lavy]

I think in the direct quote you said wireless, and I wasn't really sure what he meant by this, whether wifi or just a wireless connection. Regardless I thought it was a weird thing to txt someone.

From what I have understood he didn't text it, he emailed it. They were only in contact by emails so he is trying to say will you have internet/wifi connection there? (Assuming so that they can find each other)

 

[CMac2]

The cafes along the bridge have wifi. They have password protected accounts so patrons have to the server for the code. Wifi would not have been readily available to her if she was just walking along there.

I think in the direct quote you said wireless, and I wasn't really sure what he meant by this, whether wifi or just a wireless connection. Regardless I thought it was a weird thing to txt someone.

I think in his message to her, he specifically asked if there was "wifi" there.

I don't know- I'm biased, and I admit it. I don't care what country it occurred in- an attractive (and admittedly naive) woman meets a man online; there's a blossoming friendship there, resulting in their meeting up in person at least twice (per his own statements); said man is the last person known to have had contact with her, and makes plans to meet up with her at almost the exact place (and time) she vanishes from, on the day she's scheduled to fly back home to her family in another country... Had this happened in the states, there'd be no question about who harmed her. It would only be a question of whether or not LE could prove it. I know it happened in Turkey and not USA, but I have to go back to basics. A woman has been murdered. 9 times out of 10 the perp is someone known to her, and in this case we have a right interesting- if not downright shady- person as her last known point of contact. The "what" isn't as much a mystery as the "why".

 

[vtmeme]

Maybe she realized her "friends" were not really good people. Someone wanted her to carry drugs. Pants were pulled down looking for drugs hidden in a body cavity. Just a thought.

 

[looking4answers]

Is Wifi available and/or easily accessible in the general vicinity of the Galata Bridge? Taylan's final message to SS asked whether or not there was Wifi when they were emailing that final day about meeting up. If Galata Bridge doesn't have any wifi accessibility, he'd know it before she would, which makes me suspicious. If it does have wifi, that's a different story, IMO.

He asked is she had wireless, this is very normal when youre communicating through some internet type messaging. How do I know if you are on a fixed connection or have wifi? If you're on a fixed connection, then there is no way I can communicate with you once you leave it. If you have a wireless either through your phone wifi or ipad wifi while in a foreign country, then yes I feel I could reach you when in the area I am trying to meet up with you. This is a very common thing the problem is in the US we just assume everyone can use the internet on their phone. This is NOT common while travelling or in other countries in general, not everyone has the means to do this.

 

[ThinkHard]

Most cafes restaurants and hotels have wifi. Though I don't think its available on the outside. From what the Turkish police have said, it seems they have a good idea how she died but may be keeping mum as not to jeopardize the investigation. I also know the Consulate and FBI are helping out. So I really hunk they know more then they are letting on, ie searching the ruined walls. Either they saw her on camera near here or some informant lead them.

They did say they saw her on camera at 1:15pm in serkeci. Which is what they claim led to searching that area.

By the way, this is kind of off topic, but I saw the movie taken the other day, and I was so enjoyed by blatantly inaccurate info about Istanbul and turkey. For one the subtitles for the Turkish wasnt very accurate, the car seems we're not all filmed on the golden horn, but the biggest blatant error is that they drive into the embassy supposedly somewhere on the golden horn near sultanahmet. There is no American embassy in Istanbul! There is a consulate but it is in Istinye, part of Istanbul but down the Bosphorous passed mehmet bridge ( the second bridge that crosses the Bosphorous. ) it takes at least 30-45min to drive to without traffic.

 

[ThinkHard]

He asked is she had wireless, this is very normal when youre communicating through some internet type messaging. How do I know if you are on a fixed connection or have wifi? If you're on a fixed connection, then there is no way I can communicate with you once you leave it. If you have a wireless either through your phone wifi or ipad wifi while in a foreign country, then yes I feel I could reach you when in the area I am trying to meet up with you. This is a very common thing the problem is in the US we just assume everyone can use the internet on their phone. This is NOT common while travelling or in other countries in general, not everyone has the means to do this.

She had a Turkish phone. I wonder why she wasnt communicating with him via txt this way? It would have been much cheaper and more reliable.

 

[tardislass]

They did say they saw her on camera at 1:15pm in serkeci. Which is what they claim led to searching that area.

By the way, this is kind of off topic, but I saw the movie taken the other day, and I was so enjoyed by blatantly inaccurate info about Istanbul and turkey. For one the subtitles for the Turkish wasnt very accurate, the car seems we're not all filmed on the golden horn, but the biggest blatant error is that they drive into the embassy supposedly somewhere on the golden horn near sultanahmet. There is no American embassy in Istanbul! There is a consulate but it is in Istinye, part of Istanbul but down the Bosphorous passed mehmet bridge ( the second bridge that crosses the Bosphorous. ) it takes at least 30-45min to drive to without traffic.

Don't get me started on that movie. I blame that movie for many American mothers worried that their daughters will travel to Europe and get kidnapped into the slave trade. Not to mention the impression that Turkish women are Arab and wear the headscarf and veil.:banghead:

 

[KivaSupporter]

The cafes along the bridge have wifi. They have password protected accounts so patrons have to the server for the code. Wifi would not have been readily available to her if she was just walking along there.

I think in the direct quote you said wireless, and I wasn't really sure what he meant by this, whether wifi or just a wireless connection. Regardless I thought it was a weird thing to txt someone.

Could there be another meaning?

GALATA'DA BULUŞALIM" MESAJI
Sarai Sierra, 'Taylan' adlı bu kişiye, "Ben birazdan Galata Kulesi'nin karşısına gelicem, gelir misin?" mesajı geçti. Saat 11.33'te tekrar mesaj geçen Sierra, bu kez, "Ben çıkıyorum ulaşmak istersen beni telefondan ara" dedi. Saat 12.45'te, bu kez 'Taylan' adlı kullanıcı, "Ben oraya gelicem, umarım wirelessin vardır" mesajı geçti. Bilgi üzerine polis, Galata Kulesi ve çevresindeki kamera görüntülerini topladı. Polis, Sierra'nın Amerika'dayken de Taylan'la görüştüğünü de belirledi.


http://m.ensonhaber.com/haber.php?id=223581

 

[ami]

From my local news:



This is the first I've seen that the landlord has an attorney. Also, interesting to note description of the area- weak lighting in the building, drug dealing not uncommon. I guess it's sounding more and more plausible that a random act is at play here. Especially if she was perceived as "wealthy", as ThinkHard eluded to.

Not totally ready to let Taylan off the hook yet... but this does provide food for thought.

Well, but she wasn't in her own neighborhood - she'd gone to a different part of the city when she was last seen. Also there have been a lot of contradictory stories about that neighborhood. The expat directly across the street said in her blog (now removed) that she was shocked to hear the neighborhood described as dangerous. And I think the news must have gotten the "weak lighting" from that one picture of it... I don't think the media was allowed in the apartment, so how would they know the light quality? I think they are trying to portray Sarai as having lived dangerously there in all ways - dingy apartment in drug and crime infested street ,etc. I don't think it was like that though.

As a POI and someone who's been questioned by the police, I'm not surprised the guy has a lawyer. I'd probably do the same. Has their been any indication of how she found the apartment. As the Turkish people have said, the neighborhood isn't the best and as an American woman, there are budget hotels abd holiday apartments around the area. Especially if she wasn't in Istanbul the whole time. I wonder if one of her online friends recommended it. As a first time tourist, while the rent is cheap, it doesn't seem the type of place to rent for a vacation. I would have thought that her Turkish friends would have said something about it.

The hotel I was looking at in Sirecki has a small double breakfast included for 60 dollars a night in the low season. I know her husband said she researched the trip but did she even look in a travel forum?

$60 is pretty expensive... her total bill for the 13 days in the apartment was reported by the landlord to be ~$300. I've rented many a place like that when traveling. It allows you to live in a real neighborhood and not "hotel row" - if you want to experience the culture, it's great to stay in a neighborhood apartment and grocery shop for your own food and interact with locals as you leave and reenter and walk to the shops. Rather than have maid service and hotel food and interact with other tourists.

Someone here found a rental advertisement for one of the upper apartments in that same building and it was quite nice (and $35 a night) and the comments from guests who stayed in that building were very positive about the neighborhood. It was not a dump by any means. My guess is that she probably found the place via a travel forum or online rental site.

 

[lavy]

There is a new article here.
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/22516236.asp

Basically nothing new.

It says the secret of her murder is hidden in the ipad. (I am guessing they believe she was killed by one of the guys she was speaking to)

It explains a bit that how she was found. Apparently they checked each hole. It was getting dark when she was found. They did what they can do at that time and came back in the morning. The area was protected in the meantime.
Police tried to find what she was hit by, also checked the ground for signs of blood and dragging a body. They took a lot of soil samples etc. They questioned people live around, they didn't know anything.

It says her jeans and underwear was down even though they haven't find any signs of sexual assault.

It also says what witness said does not reflect the truth as it was impossible to go there by car (didn't get this one)

Rest is talking about american media ...

 

[tardislass]

Well, but she wasn't in her own neighborhood - she'd gone to a different part of the city when she was last seen. Also there have been a lot of contradictory stories about that neighborhood. The expat directly across the street said in her blog (now removed) that she was shocked to hear the neighborhood described as dangerous. And I think the news must have gotten the "weak lighting" from that one picture of it... I don't think the media was allowed in the apartment, so how would they know the light quality? I think they are trying to portray Sarai as having lived dangerously there in all ways - dingy apartment in drug and crime infested street ,etc. I don't think it was like that though.




$60 is pretty expensive... her total bill for the 13 days in the apartment was reported by the landlord to be ~$300. I've rented many a place like that when traveling. It allows you to live in a real neighborhood and not "hotel row" - if you want to experience the culture, it's great to stay in a neighborhood apartment and grocery shop for your own food and interact with locals as you leave and reenter and walk to the shops. Rather than have maid service and hotel food and interact with other tourists.

Someone here found a rental advertisement for one of the upper apartments in that same building and it was quite nice (and $35 a night) and the comments from guests who stayed in that building were very positive about the neighborhood. It was not a dump by any means. My guess is that she probably found the place via a travel forum or online rental site.

I haves stayed in rental apt in London and Paris so I know they can be nice. But I did extensive research. I guess we don't know how she felt about the apt other than Amsterdam guy saying he thought landlord was creepy. I'm sure she talked to her family about it but like most of this case- the authorities are keeping mum.