GUILTY Turkey - Sarai Sierra, 33, NY woman murdered, Istanbul, 21 Jan 2013 - #3

[KivaSupporter]

The thing about mailing cocaine to SS in Istanbul is WHY?

They're from NYC. You don't need to go to Amsterdam to sell cocaine. There's a wonderful market right there on your doorstep.

Why go through all the risks of an inexperienced traveler on her first trip abroad, all the risks of mailing drugs internationally, and then someone who doesn't speak a word of Turkish trying to swing an international drug deal?
Why? Why spend all the money to send her there in the first place, if you're trying to turn a profit?

Man, just sell that **** in NYC.

Pardon my ignorance. I am serious and honest.

Could anyone tell me a bit about drug trafficking? I know, I know, I am just....

If, and I do mean IF, Seria delivered some drugs from point A to point B, when would she be paid for her services? Upon return to Istanbul? Upon her return to the US? Prior to making the delivery?

I am not joking. I don't know how it works and it might help in resolving this case.

Thanks.

 

[ToutCa]

Slightly O/T, but my curiosity got the best of me. Are you actually cursing in your posts, or do you put the little ****s in there yourself? I cuss like a sailor, and am scared the mods will put me in time out if I slip and say one, but if the ****s are being put in there FOR me, I'm going to be really excited about that.

LOL i just assumed we aren't allowed to cuss so I type them in myself!

 

[Yashim]

What does Kiva mean in Turkish?

There is a Kiva organization I support but I suspect it has nothing to do with it.

Kiva means "star" in Turkish. And "Han" is slang for money, like "bucks".

So, basically it means "bucks of star" or "starbucks"

:floorlaugh:

:floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

Kiva might be some version of Kahve, which is coffee in Turkish. And "Han" means house. So, it's coffee "Coffee House"

 

[KivaSupporter]

Slightly O/T, but my curiosity got the best of me. Are you actually cursing in your posts, or do you put the little ****s in there yourself? I cuss like a sailor, and am scared the mods will put me in time out if I slip and say one, but if the ****s are being put in there FOR me, I'm going to be really excited about that.

Oh, go ahead. I would say one can. certainly express herself/himself much more clearly that way.

I don't mind. Not that it matters.

 

[ToutCa]

Pardon my ignorance. I am serious and honest.

Could anyone tell me a bit about drug trafficking? I know, I know, I am just....

If, and I do mean IF, Seria delivered some drugs from point A to point B, when would she be paid for her services? Upon return to Istanbul? Upon her return to the US? Prior to making the delivery?

I am not joking. I don't know how it works and it might help in resolving this case.

Thanks.

I think you are always paid on delivery:

http://www.christopherlong.co.uk/pri/courier.html

 

[Dion]

I remember reading that the neighbors (in Istanbul) said that she took many pictures there when she had first arrived and made small talk with them. Supposedly, she told them she was single.

Of course, I have no idea if that is true.

Now this is what I find strange. Why would she tell people that she didn't even know, whether she was married or single? She was what she was - a person travelling by herself.

It may be that her neighbours or whoever, assumed that she was single, but it’s not usually something that comes up in conversation.

It’s normal for strangers in casual conversation to ask where you are from, or perhaps where you have travelled etc., but your marital status is something personal.

 

[ToutCa]

OK, if SS really was a drug mule, there are some interesting possibilities.

Starting with, which part of the journey was she a courier for?

NYC-IST: Where's the money?

IST-AMS: Where's the money?

AMS-MUN: Where's the money?

MUN-IST: Where's the money?

IST-NYC: Could be, maybe she tried to back out and died due to some problem.

 

[CMac2]

Now this is what I find strange. Why would she tell people that she didn't even know, whether she was married or single? She was what she was - a person travelling by herself.

It may be that her neighbours or whoever, assumed that she was single, but it’s not usually something that comes up in conversation.

It’s normal for strangers in casual conversation to ask where you are from, or perhaps where you have travelled etc., but your marital status is something personal.

I agree it would be odd if Sarai walked up to the apartment upon arrival, met the landlord with bags in hand and said, "Hi, I'm Sarai and I'm single!"

While anything is possible, I was imagining the topic came up in the course of conversation over a meal, or something like that, while they were talking about themselves, who they are, that sort of thing. I could see the landlord asking at some point after they were fairly comfortable with each other, "So do you have a family back home? Kids?"

 

[lavy]

Kiva means "star" in Turkish. And "Han" is slang for money, like "bucks".

So, basically it means "bucks of star" or "starbucks"

:floorlaugh:

:floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

Kiva might be some version of Kahve, which is coffee in Turkish. And "Han" means house. So, it's coffee "Coffee House"

!!! :what: For a second I really questioned my language skills.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Kiva means "star" in Turkish. And "Han" is slang for money, like "bucks".

So, basically it means "bucks of star" or "starbucks"

:floorlaugh:

:floorlaugh::floorlaugh:

Kiva might be some version of Kahve, which is coffee in Turkish. And "Han" means house. So, it's coffee "Coffee House"

Thank you, Yashim.

The Kiva organization, on the other hand, is an organization that provides microfinancing to people throughout the world, to people who need small loans, that is to people who want to start up very small businesses and who have no other sources of funding.

They work hard to provide for their families. You give them a chance to do so.
In my experience, these are very honest and hard-working people. They deserve my help, and yours, too.

You get your investment back in full after the determined period of time.

I have never had a negative experience.

Off-topic. Sorry.`

 

[lavy]

OK, if SS really was a drug mule, there are some interesting possibilities.

Starting with, which part of the journey was she a courier for?

NYC-IST: Where's the money?

IST-AMS: Where's the money?

AMS-MUN: Where's the money?

MUN-IST: Where's the money?

IST-NYC: Could be, maybe she tried to back out and died due to some problem.

I really don't think she was involved in drugs but I will guess anyway.

AMS-MUN-IST - I would say but doesn't sound possible. Why to double risk it with double security check? Unless she took a train

MUN-IST - She was going to meet with the drug dealer there to give the drugs and get the money. He either took the drugs and refused to give the money or give less than they arranged for. She refused, they start fighting. Argument got bigger he thought she is going to cause trouble, got the rock hit her. She died. He noticed they are out and could be seen. Hide her body. Grab her bag and runaway.

Or she asked for the money. He said why so fast, lets talk for a while and made a move to her. They fight...same scenario

 

[ToutCa]

Hurriyet just posted an exclusive interview with Steven Sierra. The translation issues are particularly horrid, so native-speakers, have a look.

There doesn't appear to be too much there, but he does seem to give that line we have already heard from LE in Turkey about cops not wanting to scare off the people they need to talk to (when discussing her email records)...

I'm not venturing to pretend to understand the rest...

LINK

 

[lavy]

I agree it would be odd if Sarai walked up to the apartment upon arrival, met the landlord with bags in hand and said, "Hi, I'm Sarai and I'm single!"

While anything is possible, I was imagining the topic came up in the course of conversation over a meal, or something like that, while they were talking about themselves, who they are, that sort of thing. I could see the landlord asking at some point after they were fairly comfortable with each other, "So do you have a family back home? Kids?"

People tend to be very curious in Turkey. Not saying it especially for the airbnb guy but they can ask you this question even when you just met.

-That reminds me a friend of mine: he was complaining the other day that whenever he says hi to a girl, girl replies "I have a boyfriend." He kept saying "I only said hi, didn't propose to her".

 

[Yashim]

Mistery Solved!

I know why SS's Istanbul tour is so lousy.

These Turkish guys say "Let me be your tour guide" to SS hoping they will be more than that. Yet, SS is only looking for friendship and loyal to her husband. (The divorce was probably for financial reasons.) Disappointed, they lose their interest in SS. Only TK meets her more than once. He is the most decent of them all. So she wanders around on her own. Each time she goes out, she increases the distance she travels. A very primitive way, but those Turkish tour guides that she relied on has sold her out. Since she relied on them, she didn't do much planning to optimally allocate her time in Istanbul.

She really has fun in the Netherlands. And believes that her time in Istanbul could have been much better, but just wasn't. A little disappointed and out of money, she arranges to return.

Poor SS. All I can say.

BTW

When an American woman is of Puerto Rican descent, this may increase her chance of being a drug mule in the US since she can speak Spanish and smuggle drugs from Mexico. I wouldn't know about that. But being involved in drug trafficking in the Middle East, that'll be the first in the entire history of drug trafficking.

 

[ToutCa]

MUN-IST - She was going to meet with the drug dealer there to give the drugs and get the money. He either took the drugs and refused to give the money or give less than they arranged for. She refused, they start fighting. Argument got bigger he thought she is going to cause trouble, got the rock hit her. She died. He noticed they are out and could be seen. Hide her body. Grab her bag and runaway.

Good point, she could have been attacked on the payoff for a MUN-IST run.

Maybe that's why they're so vague on the Munich connection. Maybe she really was there 3 days? Maybe it was set up there? And kept quiet, maybe even with Ammer covering for her and pretending she was longer in AMST?

Doing a MUN-IST run would make more sense than a AMST-MUN-IST run, because as you said, why take the risk of going thru security more times.

BUT maybe, as many have said, she was on the train from AMST to MUN? Then there's no real check.

So it could have been an AMST-IST run, with only going through the security of the MUN airport.

It all could have been set up in AMST.

I don't know if this happened, but I wonder.

Why so vague on Munich? Why does Steven Sierra get squirmy in the Hurriyet interview above when asked about Amsterdam/Munich? And her gmail records?

It's probably all nothing, but it's interesting to think about...

 

[lavy]

Yashim, are you going to translate or should I do it?

Good guess/scenario by the way.

Hurriyet just posted an exclusive interview with Steven Sierra. The translation issues are particularly horrid, so native-speakers, have a look.

There doesn't appear to be too much there, but he does seem to give that line we have already heard from LE in Turkey about cops not wanting to scare off the people they need to talk to (when discussing her email records)...

I'm not venturing to pretend to understand the rest...

LINK

 

[SophieRose]

Hmmm. I wonder if this was the money her husband sent her? Remember the talk that he "sent" money rather than put money in an account for her to withdraw via ATM? I assumed "sent" may have meant wired. Surely he didn't literally send cash?

Aside from that, what could be in the package? And who sent it?!?

Wait - the guy in the basement? Wasn't Sarai the only one in the basement?!? Was the so-called landlord down in the basement while she was out? Or someone else?

\]
I've wondered since the beginning if she didn't share that room with someone else. Also it was listed as a hostel, I usually think of hostels as multiple bunkbeds in a room, sometimes with a few private rooms (often for families). It sounds like, though, she just rented a room.

I looked up the landlord's name and it appears he's a musician.

 

[ToutCa]

Yashim, are you going to translate or should I do it?

Good guess/scenario by the way.

Does Steven Sierra really say in this interview that he last spoke to his wife on Jan. 14? Am I understanding that correctly?

 

[ToutCa]

\]
I've wondered since the beginning if she didn't share that room with someone else. Also it was listed as a hostel, I usually think of hostels as multiple bunkbeds in a room, sometimes with a few private rooms (often for families). It sounds like, though, she just rented a room.

I looked up the landlord's name and it appears he's a musician.

It was an apartment through AirBnb, not a traditional hostel. From what we have heard, she rented it out for herself.

 

[lavy]

Hurriyet just posted an exclusive interview with Steven Sierra. The translation issues are particularly horrid, so native-speakers, have a look.

There doesn't appear to be too much there, but he does seem to give that line we have already heard from LE in Turkey about cops not wanting to scare off the people they need to talk to (when discussing her email records)...

I'm not venturing to pretend to understand the rest...

LINK

How was Sarai?

She was an amazing person, love of my life and mother of my kids. We are both religious people we met while praying at the church. 2 years later we got married. She was happy and cheerful. She was studying psychology in Staten Island College. She wanted to specialize on Child Psychology. However photography was the thing made her happy the most.

Didn't you worried about her going on a long trip abroad for the first time?

I had to let her go. She really wanted to go and very insistent about it. You have to support your wife in a situation like this. She was very happy when she got her passport. She was staying in a hostel in Beyoglu. She was sending messages to her sister telling how happy she is.

How often you were talking to her when she was in Istanbul?

At the beginning we were talking on skype. I was following the photos she put on IG. But times didn't match because of the time difference. I was working when she is at the hostel. The last time I heard from her was 14th of Jan. The next day she called home and spoke to the kids, I was at work that time.

-Did she told you that she is going to Amsterdam and Munich? Did she went there to take photos too?

Yes. I don't know the people she was speaking to. Police is looking her emails to find out about people she was in contact to. They don't want me to share information in order to not to scare the suspects.

Do you think she might have fall in the hands of drug or courier mafia? Do you have such suspicions?

Sarai was good with analysing people. She would sense the people who could cause trouble and stay away from them. But it didn't happen this time...

-------

There are also 2 quotes about marriage and relationship he posted on his FB page. Do we have these somewhere? I'll try to avoid to translate something already translated.