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

[yannis]

There was an image I posted a while back of her in what I believe was the NY subway wearing a bag that meets the description and looks as though it would hold a fair amount.

Found it... on the right.

Alternatively, there is also a bag in the MSM photo that's been circulating. Let's not forget she was supposedly carrying an extra pair of shoes, which would also likely mean a decent sized bag.

if you scroll down the link i post you'll see that bag found

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Twitter-bemoaning-cheating.html#axzz2KWRwTQRT

 

[Yashim]

I wonder if perhaps she was going to do Internet dating and she wanted a nice picture of herself up. Sometimes you make that extra effort them bc it really is a nice picture. There is another pic of her in the Daily News too where I think she has her hair in a bun - she looks real pretty in that pic too. I like that pic better, it does not even look like the same person

When I first heard of this case and saw her pic, I assume maybe she was Turkish. She would certainly blend in the crowd alot more than say a blond women (not that Turks cannot be blonds but they typically are not)

Honestly she looks like the average, modern Turkish woman. Perhaps a much nicer, positive version.

 

[Munich]

Maybe it was just plain brownies to test the method. However, she couldn't receive the package, some random guy took it. So they cancelled the operation and told SS to return.

I do international mailings regularly and if it's a package of a certain size you must declare what's in it for customs. I get that people can lie, but it really doesn't make much sense to send drugs from the US to Turkey.

They do behind the scenes checking of packages in post offices, too. It's not so simple to just send drugs, which is why a courier is used.

I'm not sure why it's so unfathomable, but a lot of drugs originate from more lawless regions (not saying Turkey is among them, but there are some close by) and places where drugs are cheap. There's a demand for drugs in areas where they aren't as readily produced or where the strains aren't as potent. That's to say if any trafficking was happening that this was drugs, which I'm still not convinced of.

The package could contain a document, addresses, or other things that weren't meant to be found or traced by electronics or emails. I doubt it was something serious, because professionals would likely use the email draft system that is common among spies and those who don't want a paper or document trail. They write a draft email, the recipient gets it and responds through drafts deleting as they go.

 

[ToutCa]

Plus, the Sierras lifestyle seems to point away from this potential. Unless I'm misunderstanding the theory (which is totally possible).

Lord, to make up something feasible, I'm gonna have to resurrect English's package I made fun of last night. I don't think this happened but:

say SS, Steven and brother are backed by high-rolling local gangsters who have a hot connection and want to import some good stuff from IST. They want someone above suspicion to courier -- SS is recruited. She goes. They send a package to her full of tens of thousands of dollars. It arrives and she carries it to the exchange point, gets ripped off and killed.

Did I just make that hold together with the evidence? I've officially gone insane.

 

[CMac2]

Lord, to make up something feasible, I'm gonna have to resurrect English's package I made fun of last night. I don't think this happened but:

say SS, Steven and brother are backed by high-rolling local gangsters who have a hot connection and want to import some good stuff from IST. They want someone above suspicion to courier -- SS is recruited. She goes. They send a package to her full of tens of thousands of dollars. It arrives and she carries it to the exchange point, gets ripped off and killed.

Did I just make that hold together with the evidence? I've officially gone insane.

Plus you have MSM articles backing your story. Didn't at least a few of them say SS vanished after receiving a package from the US? AHA!!

Eat a cheeseburger. It fixes insanity. That's what I'm doing.

 

[Rolandred]

Please do look, because it would be interesting to know if people were arrested and who. For example, if it was 3 druggies, your theory's looking pretty good, Yashim.

I should qualify my post that the horror stories of rapes and crimes that came up were not Turkey-specific, some were in Istanbul, some were in various tourist spots the world over. Violent crime can happen anywhere.

Do you mean "druggies" as in drug addicts or drug dealers? Also, I was looking at some video shot in the area by journalists following the forensic team and looks like the homeless - have chickens! Also saw one showing the vestibule where she was found. Odd, since looks like a place a homeless would live, not dump a body.

 

[Yellow]

Today I am more open to the smuggling idea. On the one hand, her trip looks like smuggling, she goes to 2 European cities in the middle of a trip for short periods of time, a smuggling situation would fit who she might have met that day, she possibly would have a motive to get involved w such a scheme (financial), it would explain why she got a Turkish cell phone (who would pay for Turkish cell phone just to text people to meet up with??), it would explain why she wanted to leave, etc.

Each thing considered separate is nothing but all together...one could make the case....

At the same time, no experienced smuggler would have done anything to raise more red flags. I think if she was smuggling, Turkey to USA only, she would have not taken those side trips

Think if you are US Customs office in NYC: you have a single women, who made side trips to 2 European countries, traveling alone... Of course 99% of women in that scenario are not smugglers but the 2 side trips would raise more suspicion of smuggling if they found something illicit than if she just stayed in Turkey the whole time. That is why any sophisticated smuggler would not have her make those 2 side trips...nothing to raise more suspicion...

 

[belimom]

Today I am more open to the smuggling idea. On the one hand, her trip looks like smuggling, she goes to 2 European cities in the middle of a trip for short periods of time, a smuggling situation would fit who she might have met that day, she possibly would have a motive to get involved w such a scheme (financial), it would explain why she got a Turkish cell phone (who would pay for Turkish cell phone just to text people to meet up with??), it would explain why she wanted to leave, etc.

Each thing considered separate is nothing but all together...one could make the case....

At the same time, no experienced smuggler would have done anything to raise more red flags. I think if she was smuggling, Turkey to USA only, she would have not taken those side trips

Think if you are US Customs office in NYC: you have a single women, who made side trips to 2 European countries, traveling alone... Of course 99% of women in that scenario are not smugglers but the 2 side trips would raise more suspicion of smuggling if they found something illicit than if she just stayed in Turkey the whole time. That is why any sophisticated smuggler would not have her make those 2 side trips...nothing to raise more suspicion...

Many of you seem to know more about this smuggling business than I do, but I posted an article or two on the previous thread about how Turkey is a gateway of drugs, from the Middle East/Asia into Western Europe, and vice versa.

 

[ToutCa]

Do you mean "druggies" as in drug addicts or drug dealers? Also, I was looking at some video shot in the area by journalists following the forensic team and looks like the homeless - have chickens! Also saw one showing the vestibule where she was found. Odd, since looks like a place a homeless would live, not dump a body.

Yashim has previously described Istanbul "druggies" quite vividly. Apparently there are a lot of young (teenage) huffing thinner addicts who are semi-homeless and squat here and there. Usually they are just sad to witness but on rare occasions attack and even murder people, sometimes tourists.

Yashim's consistent theory is that a "druggie" thinner addict in the wall ruins randomly killed SS. I was referring to that.

 

[ToutCa]

Plus you have MSM articles backing your story. Didn't at least a few of them say SS vanished after receiving a package from the US? AHA!!

Eat a cheeseburger. It fixes insanity. That's what I'm doing.

Ahhhhhh. . .yes calorie deprivation...I must find something to eat....gooood idea!!!

 

[belimom]

There was an image I posted a while back of her in what I believe was the NY subway wearing a bag that meets the description and looks as though it would hold a fair amount.

Found it... on the right.

Alternatively, there is also a bag in the MSM photo that's been circulating. Let's not forget she was supposedly carrying an extra pair of shoes, which would also likely mean a decent sized bag.

Do you have the link for that picture? I'd like to zoom in on that or another one showing her hand to see if I can see what is on (or not on) her ring finger. TIA!

 

[Yashim]

They should have put laxatives in the test brownies. That would have told them which random guy it was who took it. He should have been punished, given all the horror he's caused.

Darn! I should have thought of that. All that time, I thought it was the shish kebab that got me...

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

Hi everyone .I'm a newcomer and my English is not that well.sorry for that
Also very sad for Sarai.
I have some questions in my mind maybe some revealed here before ı guess abt the husband and brother .
1)SS's plane should have landed in NJ on 22 jan .Why did husband and brother
wait to come to IST until 28 JAN arriving 29 JAN.Waiting for 6 days is a very long period .He could well arrange kids to SS parents , for finding cash use credit cards, borrow from friends or even sell sth. and immediately come..Why is that delay ? His income seems enough to afford it but they got the money from the church??Why
2)Why did the police declare that husband is cooperative but not helpful?
At what point they couldnt get his help?Probably they thought he was hiding sth.some unanswered questions /blur answers maybe.
3)Those cheating messages of him and brother on INST. It may be because of something experienced in US because in my opinion if he ever knew abt a guy in IST ,he wouldnt let her go.
4)When they returned to US the press was in their housefor asking questions.
Why was there the family friend who was an old FBI agent with them?Is there a reason do know for him to be there?
5)I read somewhere here one of very early posts,on brothers INST there is a a msg saying that 'I dont like what the Holland friend said ' that was something like that. I will go back and find it.
6)They know somebody/friend from IST. Who are they exactly?
7)Why is ss's and her husband's being good Christians and their bounds with
the church so much emphasized ?Can this be because of trying to hide some
illegal matters?
All these seem somehow odd to me ..
My opinion is that they were upto make some money from SS journey by some means of making her carry drugs or sth .They had financial problems accompanying marital problems .Maybe they thouht they could save their marriage.Noone would suspect from this pretty woman and her photograhy
passion was just a cover for this.
8)Also why did the neigbors in US say that she was more nee
10)AMSerdam visit may be related to this drug scenario
11)Husbands DNA should also be taken as when he arrived to IST, she was still lost.. her body was found a few days later. just as a precation. everything is possible as there is this cheating stuff in the middle of the case.

As for Taylan guy, if they had an online affair , she would have met him as soon as she arrived. lets say in a few days for certain.But we know so far
she met him on 13 jan and 20 jan twice. Moreover we know from papers that
he comes from a good family, well educated but has no job that means he has plenty of time to see her and go out with her .

Thanks for bearing whats on my mind for weeks and my terrible Eng.
Hope the case is solved asap and may she rest in peace.

 

[Munich]

Today I am more open to the smuggling idea. On the one hand, her trip looks like smuggling, she goes to 2 European cities in the middle of a trip for short periods of time, a smuggling situation would fit who she might have met that day, she possibly would have a motive to get involved w such a scheme (financial), it would explain why she got a Turkish cell phone (who would pay for Turkish cell phone just to text people to meet up with??), it would explain why she wanted to leave, etc.

Each thing considered separate is nothing but all together...one could make the case....

At the same time, no experienced smuggler would have done anything to raise more red flags. I think if she was smuggling, Turkey to USA only, she would have not taken those side trips

Think if you are US Customs office in NYC: you have a single women, who made side trips to 2 European countries, traveling alone... Of course 99% of women in that scenario are not smugglers but the 2 side trips would raise more suspicion of smuggling if they found something illicit than if she just stayed in Turkey the whole time. That is why any sophisticated smuggler would not have her make those 2 side trips...nothing to raise more suspicion...

The US wouldn't necessarily know about her side trips. They weren't likely booked as an open-jaw multi-leg ticket, so she could easily book a round trip from IST to AMS and the US is none the wiser.

I think taking the side trips to see "friends" is a perfect cover. She has fun, she has people to vouch for her.

A lot of times the traffickers will pay for trips so the mules enjoy themselves and likely so they feel somewhat indebted. They also strap them down or their luggage with drugs or whatever material and then escort them to the airport. They know they are constantly being watched.

I mentioned before this could be a reasoning why she said she was single. If I was involved in nefarious things I wouldn't want my family involved.

Also, any word on what hand the wedding band is worn in Turkey? This still has me interested, too.

 

[necco]

I'm with you on those feelings KuriousKev. I've encountered several women in Istanbul in that exact same position. The only difference is they have gone home alive and I can't work out the one extra ingredient that SS had in her adventure that stopped her from going home alive.

A bad roll of the dice.

As I've said earlier, we all take calculated risks. Sooner or later, someone loses that game. Sadly, Sarai's luck ran out.

 

[Munich]

Do you have the link for that picture? I'd like to zoom in on that or another one showing her hand to see if I can see what is on (or not on) her ring finger. TIA!

I have found it several times, but it always has the type on it and then I can't seem to find it again. Let me search a little bit.

Also, in Germany the "ring finger" is on the right hand, not the left. I'm not sure if it's the same in Turkey or not.

 

[belimom]

Hi everyone .I'm a newcomer and my English is not that well.sorry for that
Also very sad for Sarai.
I have some questions in my mind maybe some revealed here before ı guess abt the husband and brother .
1)SS's plane should have landed in NJ on 22 jan .Why did husband and brother
wait to come to IST until 28 JAN arriving 29 JAN.Waiting for 6 days is a very long period .He could well arrange kids to SS parents , for finding cash use credit cards, borrow from friends or even sell sth. and immediately come..Why is that delay ? His income seems enough to afford it but they got the money from the church??Why
2)Why did the police declare that husband is cooperative but not helpful?
At what point they couldnt get his help?Probably they thought he was hiding sth.some unanswered questions /blur answers maybe.
3)Those cheating messages of him and brother on INST. It may be because of something experienced in US because in my opinion if he ever knew abt a guy in IST ,he wouldnt let her go.
4)When they returned to US the press was in their housefor asking questions.
Why was there the family friend who was an old FBI agent with them?Is there a reason do know for him to be there?
5)I read somewhere here one of very early posts,on brothers INST there is a a msg saying that 'I dont like what the Holland friend said ' that was something like that. I will go back and find it.
6)They know somebody/friend from IST. Who are they exactly?
7)Why is ss's and her husband's being good Christians and their bounds with
the church so much emphasized ?Can this be because of trying to hide some
illegal matters?
All these seem somehow odd to me ..
My opinion is that they were upto make some money from SS journey by some means of making her carry drugs or sth .They had financial problems accompanying marital problems .Maybe they thouht they could save their marriage.Noone would suspect from this pretty woman and her photograhy
passion was just a cover for this.
8)Also why did the neigbors in US say that she was more nee
10)AMSerdam visit may be related to this drug scenario
11)Husbands DNA should also be taken as when he arrived to IST, she was still lost.. her body was found a few days later. just as a precation. everything is possible as there is this cheating stuff in the middle of the case.

As for Taylan guy, if they had an online affair , she would have met him as soon as she arrived. lets say in a few days for certain.But we know so far
she met him on 13 jan and 20 jan twice. Moreover we know from papers that
he comes from a good family, well educated but has no job that means he has plenty of time to see her and go out with her .

Thanks for bearing whats on my mind for weeks and my terrible Eng.
Hope the case is solved asap and may she rest in peace.

:welcome:

Welcome - and excellent first post! All very good questions. #1 stands out to me - and not something I had considered before. Hmmm...

I do think that your scenario in # 7 is very plausible. And a possibility that I considered a while back. Not sure what I think now... My head is spinning with all the possibilities.

 

[belimom]

I have found it several times, but it always has the type on it and then I can't seem to find it again. Let me search a little bit.

Also, in Germany the "ring finger" is on the right hand, not the left. I'm not sure if it's the same in Turkey or not.

Got it. Given that she is American, though, she would wear it on her left ring finger. However, would Turkish folks recognize that?

 

[CMac2]

Ahhhhhh. . .yes calorie deprivation...I must find something to eat....gooood idea!!!

Better yet, drink some whiskey. It's Ireland somewhere, after all!

Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CMac2]

Got it. Given that she is American, though, she would wear it on her left ring finger. However, would Turkish folks recognize that?

Yashim confirmed just a minute ago that Turkish women would wear their wedding rings on the ring finger on the left hand. Seems like it's the same as we do in America.

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