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

[Wanderlust]

I'm starting to think that the most likely scenario is that Sarai was climbing around the city wall taking photos, fell and hit her head. Some druggies came across her body at some point, stole her ipad and phone, because they could be easily sold in the black market or exchanged for drugs (unlike jewellery perhaps), and then put the body in the hole where it was found. I could understand why a Turkish drug addict living in a cave would not want to go to the police and report the fact that they had found a dead American woman...

 

[ami]

I'm not sure I fully believe the woman saw what she believes she saw. She might have her dates mixed up, or she may have seen something completely innocent, and later after hearing the news got her wires crossed. It's also possible she didn't see anything at all, and is just inserting herself into this whole thing. I'm not convinced it isn't true, but I guess I'm not convinced it is true, either.

Yeah I agree... it's hard to get the story straight when so many red herrings and rumors are reported.

I especially like how most news sources say that Turkish police are speaking under anonymity "in line with" the government prohibition from police speaking to the media. Grateful as I am that they're providing information, I keep finding it amusing that they consider the act of withholding their name to somehow be following the rule prohibiting them from speaking at all.

 

[CMac2]

I'm starting to think that the most likely scenario is that Sarai was climbing around the city wall taking photos, fell and hit her head. Some druggies came across her body at some point, stole her ipad and phone, because they could be easily sold in the black market or exchanged for drugs (unlike jewellery perhaps), and then put the body in the hole where it was found. I could understand why a Turkish drug addict living in a cave would not want to go to the police and report the fact that they had found a dead American woman...

I tend to lean against falling, only because one of the articles lavy translated specifically said there were no other injuries (we'd also heard about stab wounds to the abdominal area), just the trauma to the head. If she fell and landed hard enough to crack her skull open (sorry), wouldn't there have been other signs of trauma on her body as well? She would have had to fall headfirst and land squarely on her skull for no other scrapes, broken bones, etc to have happened.

Also, her ipad and iphone are missing. If someone is stealing electronics off an injured dead woman, why not grab the jewelry too? I think those specific items were taken because the perp was concerned there would be clues on them that could identify who he/she is.

 

[manzana]

I have a hard time imagining her going to a stranger's house- .

Obviously I need some catching up on this but was she not hooking up with online contacts?

if so that is naive at best and more like stupid I certainly am not going to meet up with posters here in the US anywhere. I did live in Mexico (Matamoros) which is a very dangerous drug border town for a few years and one does have to exercise more caution when they are not in their backyard.

 

[Walker]

I'm not the only one who tried to explain to you that she wasn't dressed differently than local women. Istanbul is a place of its own, she wasn't in a remote village.
Someone even posted a picture to explain..
I hope you understand where she was staying and why her clothing was not offensive.

Among the diverse population of Istabul, there are many men who have more traditional attitudes and might see her clothing as provocative. She patterned herself off the most progressive & Western element; but then ventured out of their circles.

 

[Walker]

I'm having a hard time figuring out what type of image SS "projected". If anything, she was trusting of people who were not trustworthy, but that's about it- that's a crime I'm sure we're all guilty of committing at some point in time or another.

Otherwise, she strikes me as a woman who was given the chance of a lifetime- especially if she isn't wealthy- to travel to a place she may not otherwise have been able to see. She chose inexpensive lodgings- again, because she was not rich- and tried to capture as much beauty- both by way of photography and meeting people- as she possibly could.

Obviously something terrible happened, but it had nothing to do with any "image" she was projecting. She was simply THERE. That's the extent of it, unfortunately. When bad people enter an equation, intent on doing harm, that's all it takes, IMO.

SS did, too.

 

[CMac2]

Every foreign visiton to any country should know their place (for both good and bad) and not offend the local population (esp. when alone).

Ok, but WHAT, specifically, did she do to offend the local population? How are you so sure she offended them? You keep speaking to this issue as if there is something specific about her that is giving you that impression, but what is it?

Her clothing was not skin tight, or anything close to it. The woman was completely covered up. Are you saying her clothing was tight because she wasn't wearing traditional Muslim garb? I'm really trying to understand what it is you keep referring to.

 

[CMac2]

Obviously I need some catching up on this but was she not hooking up with online contacts?

if so that is naive at best and more like stupid I certainly am not going to meet up with posters here in the US anywhere. I did live in Mexico (Matamoros) which is a very dangerous drug border town for a few years and one does have to exercise more caution when they are not in their backyard.

She definitely did meet up with online contacts, but I haven't read anything that says she went anywhere private with any of them. I am not aware of her going to their homes, for example, or anything like that. From what I've read (which granted, changes by the minute, it seems), she met up in person with people she'd met online in public places and utilized them as tour guides.

 

[Walker]

I don't think the way she dressed has anything whatsoever to do with her being murdered. If anything, she may be guilty of being too trusting or of going to isolated places alone. But no one can just "get you" off the street b/c of what you have on. You would have to place yourself in a situation where someone would have the opportunity to do something. And that can happen regardless of what someone is wearing. She was found fully-clothed - so at this point, unless someone re-dressed her, I don't believe sexual assault was the motive nor do I think it occurred. I think the answer lies somewhere between the IG contacts she had (including Taylan) and the area where she was headed/found.

The clothes reflect her being "too trusting." She should have been suspicious that some foreign man might not understand, and therefore attempted to avoid (not seek) attention. Trying to get attention is to trust that everyone around you actually likes you.

 

[Walker]

It's actually even more grim to think that she may have been killed shortly after she disappeared, but her body transported to the site where they found her only on the 29th, 8 days later.

Where was her body for 8 days? Who keeps someone they've murdered "on hand" in case they need to be moved? And how could others close to the murderer not know they were in possession of such a thing? For reasons unnecessary to explain, after a few days it should have been impossible to hide her.

Maybe there were two bodies found in the area.

 

[Walker]

I don't think drug addicts killed her because she was not robbed of her jewelry. Only her laptop and phone were stolen which leads me to think that maybe she had accidentally taken photos of illicit dealings somewhere on her trip.

Maybe when she posted the pics on Instagram, the criminals took note and decided she needed to be killed for the incriminating evidence. IDK but the fact that she was stabbed in the head multiple times suggests someone wanted her not only harmed, but permanently dead. It's likely someone who has deep-seated hatred and jealousy for foreigners who are women who dare to walk the streets alone. Maybe even someone who was jealous of her looks and took particular offense to the way she was dressed.

Yes, I agree. The resentment could be a factor. The wife/gf theory may also work, too.

 

[CMac2]

Edited: I removed my post because in hindsight it's not appropriate to engage with anyone over things that have nothing to do with this particular case. Sorry!

 

[Walker]

I tend to lean against falling, only because one of the articles lavy translated specifically said there were no other injuries (we'd also heard about stab wounds to the abdominal area), just the trauma to the head. If she fell and landed hard enough to crack her skull open (sorry), wouldn't there have been other signs of trauma on her body as well? She would have had to fall headfirst and land squarely on her skull for no other scrapes, broken bones, etc to have happened.

Also, her ipad and iphone are missing. If someone is stealing electronics off an injured dead woman, why not grab the jewelry too? I think those specific items were taken because the perp was concerned there would be clues on them that could identify who he/she is.

A fall or a push, maybe? The jewelry may have been buried because the perp saw it as unclean; that is, like a jealous wife might not want the jewelry of someone she saw as hateful.

 

[CMac2]

A fall or a push, maybe? The jewelry may have been buried because the perp saw it as unclean; that is, like a jealous wife might not want the jewelry of someone she saw as hateful.

But why remove the ipad and iphone then?

 

[vesa]

Street art: Sierra's husband said his wife had always been interested in graffiti, and it is possibly that she came to the walls to take pictures of the tags

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2272465/Missing-New-York-mother-dead-near-ancient-walls-dangerous-Istanbul-neighborhood-drawn-site-death-life-long-passion-GRAFFITI-husband-says.html#axzz2JkjUcDDH

Video:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=2&ei=eV0NUfK2OarW0QH014DwAQ&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3DSarayburnu%2527nda%2Bsurlar%25C4%25B1n%2Bdibinde%2Bbu%2Bak%25C5%259Fam%2Bbir%2Bkad%25C4%25B1n%2Bcesedi%2Bbulundu.%2BPolis,%2BMOBESE%2Bve%2Bg%25C3%25BCvenlik%2Bkamelar%25C4%25B1n%25C4%25B1%2Binceleyerek%2BSierra%2527n%25C4%25B1n%2Byerini%2Btespit%2Betti.%2B%25C3%2587ok%2Bsay%25C4%25B1da%2Bpolis%2Bekibi,%2Bolay%2Byerine%2Bsevk%2Bedildi.%2B%2BSurlar%25C4%25B1n%2Bdibindeki%2Bdehlizin%2Bi%25C3%25A7inde%2Bbulunan%2Bcesedin%2B%25C3%25BCzerinde%2Byap%25C4%25B1lan%2Bincelemede%2Bcesedin%2B33%2Bya%25C5%259F%25C4%25B1ndaki%2Bkay%25C4%25B1p%2BABD%2527li%2BSierra%2527ya%2Bait%2Boldu%25C4%259Fu%2Btespit%2Bedildi.%2BCesedin%2B%25C3%25BCzerinde%2BABD%2527li%2BSarai%2BSierra%2527ya%2Bait%2Bbir%2Bs%25C3%25BCr%25C3%25BCc%25C3%25BC%2Bbelgesi%2B%25C3%25A7%25C4%25B1kt%25C4%25B1.%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D0hO%26tbo%3Dd%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GBfficial&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=tr&u=http://webtv.hurriyet.com.tr/2/44846/0/1/sierra-nin-cesedi-burada-bulundu.aspx&usg=ALkJrhguxvPXQUHKnPCrdHPczxSD6UZvng

Steven Sierra, her husband, sent her 350 and 150 dollars, Ülgütol said, adding there was no evidence for any large money transitions.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/sarai-sierra-killed-with-blow-to-the-head-official-says.aspx?pageID=238&nID=40383&NewsCatID=341

 

[lavy]

The jealous wife theory makes sense to me, for example. But also foreign men are less respectful towards women whom they see as sleazily dressed. It's their perceptions, not ours, that determine the situation. In their countries, their standards need to be considered.

I really don't know why you keep bringing her clothing. Believe me or not her clothing is more conservative than many turkish women walking around in istanbul. Even women who cover their heads do wear tight jeans. Anyway, I know its not related.

I initally thought the reason that Taylan doesn't want to be named could be because he has a girlfriend/wife who does not know that he met with SS.

 

[necco]

I really don't know why you keep bringing her clothing. Believe me or not her clothing is more conservative than many turkish women walking around in istanbul. Even women who cover their heads do wear tight jeans. Anyway, I know its not related.

I initally thought the reason that Taylan doesn't want to be named could be because he has a girlfriend/wife who does not know that he met with SS.

I was thinking the same thing about if she died somewhere with him accidentally. Maybe he wasn't as single as he claimed. That would be motive for him to move her.

 

[vesa]

I really don't know why you keep bringing her clothing. Believe me or not her clothing is more conservative than many turkish women walking around in istanbul. Even women who cover their heads do wear tight jeans. Anyway, I know its not related.

I initally thought the reason that Taylan doesn't want to be named could be because he has a girlfriend/wife who does not know that he met with SS.

I agree with you. Her clothes were not provocative.

 

[Wanderlust]

I think you can (and should) only go so far in trying to "please the locals". In Turkey it's perhaps a good idea to dress a bit more conservatively than back home. But in the end, even being covered from head to toe will not mean that some ignorant chauvinist will respect you any more. And someone that is convinced that Western women are "easy" will also continue to think so, regardless of how you dress.

As for the way Sarai was dressed, I think it was very appropriate for Istanbul.

 

[CocoChanel]

Edited: I removed my post because in hindsight it's not appropriate to engage with anyone over things that have nothing to do with this particular case. Sorry!

THANK YOU for your voice of reason here.
I really appreciate it.