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

[lavy]

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

Yes, a bit shocking to me. Also says she last spoke to kids on 15th. I think we thought 20th didn't we?

Your Turkish is improving :floorlaugh: (or google translate using skills) and you find new articles before anyone else.

 

[Yashim]

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.`

My comment is also OT. yet this is such an innovative and noble way of supporting entrepreneurship. Micro loans turn into micro credit. If interest-free, this should really catch on in Islamic countries.

BTW, I think Kiva may stand for coffee here as well. The tree in the logo looks like a coffee tree. I heard coffee came from East Africa to Arabia, then to Ottoman Empire. Kiva may be coffee in Swahili or some other East African language.

We are so out of fact. I started a pirate discussion. Sorry. lease:

 

[necco]

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.`

Indeed, off topic, but I'm over 100 loans and haven't lost a dime. Building bridges from one country to another. Helping underserved and endangered populations with a hand up, not a hand out.

 

[SophieRose]

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.

Maybe she told people she was single because she figured she'd get flack about being a married mother traveling by herself. Just more questions she didn't feel like answering.

 

[Rolandred]

"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." - @ Yasmin

So do you mean that in the entire history of drug trafficking - there has never been a woman of Puerto Rican descent involved in the Middle Eastern drug trade?

 

[Yashim]

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".

This is just weird. Assuming he is not naked, this makes no sense at all.

But Turkish women do tend to be rude in order not to be taken as flirtatious. Men rarely get thanked when they are being polite, e.g. holding the door for a woman.

 

[SophieRose]

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

AirBnb does include hostels, but I don't think where she stayed was one because it had no sign outside of it. AirBnb also has a few listings for rooms to share, so possibly she shared the room, which could be a reason why she wouldn't bring anyone back to it.

 

[Yashim]

"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." - @ Yasmin

So do you mean that in the entire history of drug trafficking - there has never been a woman of Puerto Rican descent involved in the Middle Eastern drug trade?

OK. I might have over-deducted, but a few days ago, on a TV show, a former homicide police chief said that they had never come across an American woman getting involved in drug trafficking in Turkey. I think that's why LE is hesitant in making such claims.

 

[CMac2]

Maybe she told people she was single because she figured she'd get flack about being a married mother traveling by herself. Just more questions she didn't feel like answering.

I think I'd tell the world of my marriage to my 10 brothers (haha- that's for you, lavy) so that everyone knows people will look for me if I were to go missing!

 

[Fantazteko]

Hi again.

Back with more questions and speculation. Excuse me if my thoughts here seemed scattered.

Anyone may feel free to address anything I write here.

First off, that the ancient walls and caves there being inhabited/frequented by indigents and junkies has already been discussed.

Earlier speculation that the unsub was a familiar face to this homeless population was dismissed as improbable—supposedly just a hangout for non-violent junkies and cave-dwellers.

Now we’re at a point where anything is pretty much possible. I have no idea what kind of person would fit the profile of this type of killer.
Maybe some drug pusher who supplied all these junkies with whatever they crave bumped into Sarai and found a reason to end her life.

If I remember correctly, detectives were saying Sarai might’ve been urinating in a hidden place when she was attacked. This might make sense if there aren’t any nearby public restrooms and nature was calling. Maybe she relieved herself in some homeless encampment and infuriated somebody.

I’ve also been entertaining the idea that maybe some English-speaking homeless vagabond, some shady drifter headed elsewhere was passing through instanbul, and probably thought that spot would make a nice temporary home.

Earlier reports say there are some train tracks nearby, that Sarai might have been photographing. Perhaps this is a clue that points to where the perp fled, just hopped on a freight and moved on. Where I come from, indigents hail from all walks of life, including other cities and countries. They seem to have an uncanny ability to find out of the way places to congregate.

Another thing is some of these people have their own subculture, their own language, moral street code and even form gangs.

I don’t know why but intuition tells me this wasn’t the first time the unsub killed.

Law enforcement is without a doubt withholding information.
The fact that they collected DNA evidence, and checked it against over 2 dozen suspects without a single match, speaks volumes. I don’t know what kind of criminal database they run in Instanbul but it’s interesting that they made no match after submitting the physical evidence they have.

This suggest local known criminals didn’t even pop up as a match. Which leads me to think they’re probably looking for an outsider.

It almost seems he knew very well how to use the environment, how and when to dispose of a body, or when and where to strike.
If he had been a local junkie or indigent who had made his home within those ancient walls, it makes no sense that he would murder someone, then conceal Sarai’s remains in his “backyard.”

Another thing I found interesting is that among her belongings were found some kind of medical cards. Is there information concerning her health—disability, mental illness &c, anything that could make her an easy target and vulnerable?

I’ve also wondered what on earth Sarai was doing there at that exact spot. It’s known that she was adventurous, but could something else have hindered her sense of danger? I myself am adventurous though I’ll admit I have no idea how I’d fair in another country, being a foreigner and all, not knowing the language, the culture…

I’d probably miss all the cues and danger signs which, in my own comfort zone and environment, I’d easily detect. My sense of danger and perception of things is sharp but would this in any way be diminished if I were in unfamiliar territory?

I pray whoever is responsible will be captured soon.

Sadly this is beginning to look more and more like a cold case, what with all the confusion. Let’s hope the local police has a suspect they for some good reason have kept secret until now.

Thanks!

 

[lavy]

This is just weird. Assuming he is not naked, this makes no sense at all.

But Turkish women do tend to be rude in order not to be taken as flirtatious. Men rarely get thanked when they are being polite, e.g. holding the door for a woman.

It is weird. Even weirder it didn't happen in Turkey. I only witnessed this once in a bar but he claims it happened in many places including a library. My friend is Greek and girls are from different nationalities.

p.s. I always thank when a guy holds the door for me :angel:

 

[zarra30]

\]
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.

Hey Sophie Rose,

I think it was the US press that always claimed it was a hostel. The Turkish press would correctly say pansyon I think or pension denoting a rooming house.

Hostels, or more specifically 'youth hostels' are usually great places to stay and meet people and generally very safe, in my opinion. After one strange time spent in a cheap hotel in a US city alone, and once renting a room with a girlfriend in Europe, I switched to hostels, if I was traveling alone, or even with a friend. Lots of them organize night outs and give you maps and tons of information about where to go.

For couples or groups and maybe for a guy alone, I think AirBnB is a great alternative. For a woman, I'd suggest getting one only with a female roommate, but that's just me. As I said I prefer crowded hostels.


The thing about airbnb is, you should always look at the reviews. There are some great looking apartments in that area, as well as all over Turkey, some had up to 40-60 reviews.

Maybe if he was a musician who liked the same music, she felt comfortable staying there. It seems a lot of artists live in that area.

The New York Times gave this positive review about Istanbul http://travel.nytimes.com//2010/02/07/travel/07hours.html.

 

[Kluver13]

-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.

This gets more confusing by the day. I'm sure I read that Ammer (Amsterdam) stated on several occasions that he spoke with the husband about taking care of his wife-even referred to him as a tour guide, now it appears he is contradicting this in the above statement.

 

[belimom]

What are the rules on linking to social media here?

Cuz Amsterdam Ammer posted some semi-interesting stuff on his Instagram tonight, going off about the press and saying SS's bathtub comments were entirely innocent (of course!), complaining about the FBI, and asserting that the answers to this mystery are all in Istanbul.

FWIW

Take a look if you haven't already.

bbm

I agree with him. I really think Ammer is completely innocent and unfortunately has gotten wrapped up in this, publicly. I don't know if he and Sarai had anything more going than friends, but I don't think it's relevant to her murder. Not nearly as relevant as her relationship with Tarkan - which also by the way may turn out to have no bearing at all on her murder. I think the person responsible for her death has yet to be named in any media.

 

[belimom]

Seven days without speaking to her husband. Overseas for the first time. I think that answers a lot of the questions about the status of their relationship, IMO. And the nature of her trip, with photography as her 'cover'. <--- all speculation on my part

 

[KivaSupporter]

My comment is also OT. yet this is such an innovative and noble way of supporting entrepreneurship. Micro loans turn into micro credit. If interest-free, this should really catch on in Islamic countries.

BTW, I think Kiva may stand for coffee here as well. The tree in the logo looks like a coffee tree. I heard coffee came from East Africa to Arabia, then to Ottoman Empire. Kiva may be coffee in Swahili or some other East African language.

We are so out of fact. I started a pirate discussion. Sorry. lease:

I am so sorry for off-topic conversation. It is my fault.

It is a very good thing but it truly does not relate to this particular topic.

I am sorry for initiating talk about it. I apologize.

 

[KivaSupporter]

My comment is also OT. yet this is such an innovative and noble way of supporting entrepreneurship. Micro loans turn into micro credit. If interest-free, this should really catch on in Islamic countries.

BTW, I think Kiva may stand for coffee here as well. The tree in the logo looks like a coffee tree. I heard coffee came from East Africa to Arabia, then to Ottoman Empire. Kiva may be coffee in Swahili or some other East African language.

We are so out of fact. I started a pirate discussion. Sorry. lease:

You are a kind man. I apologize to everyone for this off-topic messages. They are my fault.

 

[KivaSupporter]

This is just weird. Assuming he is not naked, this makes no sense at all.

But Turkish women do tend to be rude in order not to be taken as flirtatious. Men rarely get thanked when they are being polite, e.g. holding the door for a woman.

Really? I certainly did not know that. Sad!

 

[Yellow]

From Steven conversation, it appears that there was not much of a marriage. A whole week goes by and he does not have contact w wife? Perhaps though that focused only on talking conversations, I cannot imagine they did not email at all? I could see not talking alot, bc of expense or time difference,,but was there email?

If true, then wouldn't it be a little weird not to email and say, hey, I got back from Amsterdam? Unless maybe she was emailing her sister or a friend the whole time...just not her husband...and letting her know where she was..

 

[CMac2]

Seven days without speaking to her husband. Overseas for the first time. I think that answers a lot of the questions about the status of their relationship, IMO. And the nature of her trip, with photography as her 'cover'. <--- all speculation on my part

I totally agree. I know it isn't concrete evidence, like a divorce decree would have been, that things were not wonderful in their marriage, but that she went so long without talking him when she was halfway across the world for the first time in her life speaks volumes to me.