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

[ami]

I don't know why but I feel that SS is alive and is somehow running away. Why would she disappear on the day of her departure? If she did indeed have a $10k budget could she have used the money for a long term apartment and decided to "runaway" instead. She knows that she can be tracked with her phone and ipad (although 3G does not work internationally) so she left them at the original apartment. She probably did not think that all this attention would be put on a Latino girl (I think her IG friends have contacted the press and are keeping the spotlight on her but normally a Latina girl going missing does not get this much attention).

The other scenario is someone in the apartment has her or has hurt her (I have a feeling that she is fine though).

The timing of her disappearance is too coincidental.

I must say that her short trips to Amsterdam and Munich are very strange. I thought it was ok at first but when I found out about the one day stay it didn't sit right with me. It could also be that she didn't stay for one day b/c she didn't want to spend money on hotel. I remember Amsterdam hotels costing about 100 Euros per night or more (this would be almost half of what she paid for her total accommodation in Turkey). Plane tickets are very cheap on eurojet or ryanair so that would not have been an issue but she may have not wanted to spend her money on hotel.

I love this thought because it would mean she's alive.

However... can't help but think....

1. This is pretty elaborate for running away, including posting so openly on the IG community every day, going so far as to register for classes and change tickets to come home early. Leaving all the communication evidence, the ipad, the phone (if the phone was indeed left, depending on reports). Any plans she made would have to be erased, covered, etc. Especially for someone who has never been out of the country, this would be a convoluted mess (unless there was someone more worldly pulling the strings)

2. She's got a tight family and two young children. I know, some people aren't built the way most of us are, but she just seems like a MOM, you know?

However I really, really want her to be found alive.

 

[Dion]

I don't know why but I feel that SS is alive and is somehow running away. Why would she disappear on the day of her departure? If she did indeed have a $10k budget could she have used the money for a long term apartment and decided to "runaway" instead.

But if she had planned on disappearing, why would she change her flight for an earlier one and tell her family she was coming back, so they could meet her at the airport.

 

[frenchvixen]

I love this thought because it would mean she's alive.

However... can't help but think....

1. This is pretty elaborate for running away, including posting so openly on the IG community every day, going so far as to register for classes and change tickets to come home early. Leaving all the communication evidence, the ipad, the phone (if the phone was indeed left, depending on reports). Any plans she made would have to be erased, covered, etc. Especially for someone who has never been out of the country, this would be a convoluted mess (unless there was someone more worldly pulling the strings)

2. She's got a tight family and two young children. I know, some people aren't built the way most of us are, but she just seems like a MOM, you know?

However I really, really want her to be found alive.

Yes, that is true (she has a family and children why would she put them through that)? She sounds like a person with a sound mind. I was also thinking about how friendly people are overseas. Women traveling abroad and alone are especially vulnerable. Something may have went wrong. I remember when I went to Amsterdam in 2009 my 18 year old son at the time made friends immediately (I mean right away.. within minutes of arriving there , lol) and was invited to parties and made all of these friends. I was so worried about him. We were like Sarrai just hopping from country to country. We rode the eurail at night and stopped in a new country for a day and then left (this way we wouldn't have to pay for hotels). We liked Amsterdam much that we ended up staying for two nights and this is where my teenange son made his new friends. I was so worried every night and would tell him to please be safe. I wonder if Sarrai ran into very friendly foreigners and something went awfully wrong? It is a very scary thought to not know a place very well and be taken. I just don't understand why this would all happen on her last day..

 

[nursebeeme]

But if she had planned on disappearing, why would she change her flight for an earlier one and tell her family she was coming back, so they could meet her at the airport.

ita... she missed them.

 

[lucky181]

Here's a picture of the reporters outside the apt taken by the woman who lives across the street (who has taken her blog post down). When I looked closer, it appears that they are looking at the steps leading down to the basement at the yellow house (with the colorful tile front) This site is where I originally saw the picture but the author has some not so nice ideas about her disappearance.

 

[frenchvixen]

Here's a picture of the reporters outside the apt taken by the woman who lives across the street (who has taken her blog post down). When I looked closer, it appears that they are looking at the steps leading down to the basement at the yellow house (with the colorful tile front) This site is where I originally saw the picture but the author has some not so nice ideas about her disappearance.

This woman is crazy. Spouting hateful comments about any Muslim country that she can think of. If that's the case every western woman who went to Turkey would not return.

 

[lucky181]

This woman is crazy. Spouting hateful comments about any Muslim country that she can think of. If that's the case every western woman who went to Turkey would not return.

The woman who took the picture is not the owner of the website where that picture is located. I just used that link because the original blog post has been removed. The woman who took the picture had nothing negative to say about anything. I'm fairly certain the blogger who writes at the planck blog is male.

 

[frenchvixen]

The woman who took the picture is not the owner of the website where that picture is located. I just used that link because the original blog post has been removed. The woman who took the picture had nothing negative to say about anything. I'm fairly certain the blogger who writes at the planck blog is male.

I was referring to the planck blogger. He seems to have toned down somewhat but when I went to his blog a few days ago he sounded like a raging lunatic. He actually has backed up some of the things that he is saying by providing quotes from reliable sources. The more I read, the more scared I get for SS. Turkey is a place traveled by many Americans. If the Turkish government is truly looking the other way in regards to "white slavery" and tourists women being kidnapped this will not be a destination spot for long. I did read that the police is treating SS's family very nice and are cooperating and doing everything in their power to help. Very different to how Beth Holloway was treated. Til this day I refuse to go to Aruba b/c of how BH was treated. If they treat a white woman like that could you imagine how a minority woman would be treated?

 

[michellemarls]

Turkish police search for 'Dutch tour guide' who chatted online with New York mother before she vanished in Istanbul

A senior police said that Sierra had exchanged messages with a person before she disappeared and police were now trying to trace the man or woman as a possible suspect in her disappearance.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Sierra 'presumably met' the person after she arrived in Istanbul.


Friends and Sierra's husband, Steven, earlier referred to a person she had spoken to online.

'I am aware of the gentleman she was speaking to in the Netherlands,' her husband said before he left for Istanbul. 'He was a tour guide.'

Authorities also revealed that Sarai took trips out of Turkey to travel to Amsterdam and Munich during her two-week vacation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...w-York-mother-internet-vanished-Istanbul.html

 

[lucky181]

I was referring to the planck blogger. He seems to have toned down somewhat but when I went to his blog a few days ago he sounded like a raging lunatic. He actually has backed up some of the things that he is saying by providing quotes from reliable sources. The more I read, the more scared I get for SS. Turkey is a place traveled by many Americans. If the Turkish government is truly looking the other way in regards to "white slavery" and tourists women being kidnapped this will not be a destination spot for long. I did read that the police is treating SS's family very nice and are cooperating and doing everything in their power to help. Very different to how Beth Holloway was treated. Til this day I refuse to go to Aruba b/c of how BH was treated. If they treat a white woman like that could you imagine how a minority woman would be treated?

I got confused when you said "that woman" is crazy. I wanted to make sure that people know that the planck person is a man, not the person who took the picture of the reporters.

 

[belimom]

Turkish police search for 'Dutch tour guide' who chatted online with New York mother before she vanished in Istanbul



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...w-York-mother-internet-vanished-Istanbul.html

I really hope she chooses her tour guides with more discretion than lodging. A basement apartment on a side street with no other tourists does not seem like a good place a single woman on her first trip overseas. :twocents: (I'm not even sure it's a real hostel. As others have said, I think someone was subletting a room)

Not trying to be callous at all. I just hope she really checked out this 'tour guide' before heading off with him, if that is what happened - I guess at this point we just don't know. But the fact that LE is 'searching' for him leads me to believe he can't be located.

 

[michellemarls]

I really hope she chooses her tour guides with more discretion than lodging. A basement apartment on a side street with no other tourists does not seem like a good place a single woman on her first trip overseas. :twocents: (I'm not even sure it's a real hostel. As others have said, I think someone was subletting a room)

Not trying to be callous at all. I just hope she really checked out this 'tour guide' before heading off with him, if that is what happened - I guess at this point we just don't know. But the fact that LE is 'searching' for him leads me to believe he can't be located.

I totally agree. It's extremely concerning to think Sarai may have met someone who may have been a wolf in sheeps clothing. Someone who may have befriended her in the world of cyberspace and passed himself off as a tour guide...

 

[KivaSupporter]

Did buying and/or selling drugs cross anyone's mind?

JMO

 

[frenchvixen]

I totally agree. It's extremely concerning to think Sarai may have met someone who may have been a wolf in sheeps clothing. Someone who may have befriended her in the world of cyberspace and passed himself off as a tour guide...

Let's say the Dutch tour guide has her. Why did she leave her phone behind? Did he come I side the apartment and take her? I would hope that a New Yorker would be more savvy than than that.

The drug mule idea is far-fetched to me. I don't think that's the case at all.

 

[frenchvixen]

I really hope she chooses her tour guides with more discretion than lodging. A basement apartment on a side street with no other tourists does not seem like a good place a single woman on her first trip overseas. :twocents: (I'm not even sure it's a real hostel. As others have said, I think someone was subletting a room)

Not trying to be callous at all. I just hope she really checked out this 'tour guide' before heading off with him, if that is what happened - I guess at this point we just don't know. But the fact that LE is 'searching' for him leads me to believe he can't be located.

Some people are very naive especially if you have been married to the same man since you were a teenager. They are protected and when alone have that same sense of protection. On a side note, as a mom I plan my trips around my kids' schedule. Why did she not wait for spring break and her kids could stay with grandma and grandpa and her and hubby can go together? I understand that she probably wanted to so something alone but when I travel during school season I can't enjoy it as much.

 

[lucky181]

A senior police official told The Associated Press that Sierra had exchanged messages with a person before she disappeared and police were now trying to trace the man or woman he described as a possible suspect in her disappearance.

The official said Sierra "presumably met" the person after she arrived in Istanbul. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules that bar civil servants from speaking to journalists without prior authorization.

The official, however, denied several Turkish media reports -- that police were searching for an unknown man caught following Sierra on security camera footage; that Sierra had spent some US$12,000 during her stay in Istanbul; and that a narcotics team had searched her hostel room on suspicion that she might be a drug courier. "It's all made-up," he said.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/in_turkey_police_look_for_susp.html

 

[michellemarls]

Let's say the Dutch tour guide has her. Why did she leave her phone behind? Did he come I side the apartment and take her? I would hope that a New Yorker would be more savvy than than that.

The drug mule idea is far-fetched to me. I don't think that's the case at all.

Good question. I'm sure i read on one the comments Sarai made on IG was that she used her phone to take her photos. So if Sarai disappeared whilst out taking photos then surely her phone would be missing?

 

[frenchvixen]

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/in_turkey_police_look_for_susp.html

Does anyone know what SS or her hubby do for a living? Why is this rumor going around that she spent either 10k or 12K. I can't imagine spending even half of that in Turkey. I too, was looking for a male on video probably following her.

 

[Dion]

Good question. I'm sure i read on one the comments Sarai made on IG was that she used her phone to take her photos. So if Sarai disappeared whilst out taking photos then surely her phone would be missing?

It was mentioned that the phone charger was found in her room, but no mention of the phone being with it. I don't think they would have mentioned "charger" if the actual phone was there as well, so I am going to assume that it is missing.

 

[jcamille]

While it does seem strange that she took two one day trips to other countries, it doesn't to me.

I have traveled in Europe and on one trip, I spent 8 days in Paris, but I went on two-one day trips back to back - one to London and one to Brugges, Belgium.

The reason I only went to each for one day and on back to back days, was because the day trips were offered by a tour operator, City Tours. Those tours in November, were only offered two days of the week. So, my itinerary was Paris for 4 days, London - a 12 hr trip., back to Paris for the night, seven hours later, I left for Belgium and returned to Paris 15 hrs. later, then spent a two more days in Paris.

If anyone looked at my itinerary, they would think it was strange that I went to two other countries for just one day each, but there was a reason behind the scheduling.