GUILTY Turkey - Sarai Sierra, 33, NY woman murdered, Istanbul, 21 Jan 2013 - #4

[Elley Mae]

It seems weird to me that up till this trip she was in contact with him thought Instagram ? why not stick to that form of communication? She was suppose to be on a shoe string budget yet buys a turkish phone. idk

 

[Chewy]

I don't see anyone beating her to death over unrequited love or great passion. These were casual hookups...sex in a seedy bar bathroom...there is no indication anyone was romancing her...or in love with her. Her internet "tour guides" knew she was on a vacation. That implies that one will arrive and DEPART for home in a designated time. So there could be no sudden shock that SS was going home. There is no relationship here of any depth with these men. I doubt anyone killed her for love.

And her passion for photography seems to have fizzled over there. I know many artists and creatively, they would be impatient to get their "art" posted. Not so with Sarai. I no longer believe the cover story of this "artistic" journey...anymore than I believe these similar looking guys were her friendly "tour guides." There has been a great effort to "pretty up" this story. Maybe to protect the children...maybe to cover criminal activity. We shall see.

I do believe there was rage in this killing. Since there is no love story here...no one person spending all his time romancing SS...I think the rage had another genesis. I think the rumors of contact with a criminal element make sense when combined in the scenario of the mysterious package and the Turkish phone...the changed flights...the trips to Munich and Amsterdam....the lack of posted photos...and the rage filled beating death. As in any mystery, we can say any ONE of those items can be explained away...but taken all together, they make a strong circumstanial case for something hinky about this whole thing.

You've succinctly explained my interpretation as well. As you say any "ONE" of these could make for a different story but all of these combined make for one that has some hinky element.

BTW I think the sex in the bathroom story is made up as well. I think they may have had sex and Takar lied about it until he realized that if she was seen as "raped" and he had had sex with her he could be viewed in a very different light.

 

[ToutCa]

It seems weird to me that up till this trip she was in contact with him thought Instagram ? why not stick to that form of communication? She was suppose to be on a shoe string budget yet buys a turkish phone. idk

If you want to have an illicit romance with someone, you move all that off the public forum, for sure!!!!!! Her hubby was watching IG like a hawk.

And, if you are setting up local dates and flirts, a local cell sure is convenient.

If I were a flirty NYC girl angling for erotic adventure abroad, my first tool of the trade would be a local cell. Especially if I was into locals rather than other tourists. Phones aren't usually hard to get ahold of if you want something basic (phone/text only) for a brief period (rent or buy crummy one you can sell back).

Or, yes, it could have been to make illicit activities easier too.

 

[Munich]

It seems weird to me that up till this trip she was in contact with him thought Instagram ? why not stick to that form of communication? She was suppose to be on a shoe string budget yet buys a turkish phone. idk

I see the one angle of "oh, this will save money." Sort of spending to save in the long run, but, if she had this phone and was there that long you'd think she'd have met with Taylan more frequently. That's a very big span and investment to only meet with someone a couple of times.

If she wasn't frequently meeting with Taylan and trying to organize plans then there must have been more meetings with other people. It all begs the question why was having a phone necessary? That might sound ridiculous since this was a woman who was traveling alone, but honestly it's not as though she had it with her when an emergency occurred.

If anyone happens to be reading this, planning a trip, or just wanting to take precaution themselves there's a really cool app called Help Call so you don't always have to be armed with emergency numbers in each country you visit.

 

[lavy]

Hi guys. I've been reading the posts from last night & today. It seems that we are back to the 2nd telephone issue. It doesn't seem logical to ME and nor the airbnb guy or LE mentioned the other phone. I don't know where that even started from. Can somebody please please give me a link talking about the second mobile?

 

[ToutCa]

You've succinctly explained my interpretation as well. As you say any "ONE" of these could make for a different story but all of these combined make for one that has some hinky element.

BTW I think the sex in the bathroom story is made up as well. I think they may have had sex and Takar lied about it until her realized that if she was seen as "raped" and he had had sex with her he could be viewed in a very different light.

There is no "Takar" involved in this case -- his name is "Taylan". I agree with you that Taylan could have fabricated the bathroom sex story to cover up some more romantic sex (her place, his place) that would throw more suspicion on him.

None of us, me included, have proved anything about the nature of her trip.

And if we jailed everyone perceived as "hinky" by others, all of us on this thread would surely be posting from prison somewhere...

It behooves all of us to keep an open mind here!

 

[ThinkHard]

If Taylan had such a romantic interest in her, why did they only have two dates in the time that SS was in Istanbul? The third never happened, supposedly because he overslept.

TWO times...this is wild, crazy love? this fits more with the casual hookup story,then some besotted suitor. There is nothing to indicate he had any feelings for her at all.

They chatted online...well he has no job, it is something to do. He meets her, and if they were intimate, he doesn't even go to the trouble to get a room or take her home. The sex is meaningless...as is SHE to him. Then, suddenly, he hears from the husband. I'll bet he wanted no part of this trouble.

There is not one indication that SS was anything much to him. Even the last "date" that never happened, seems to have been instigated by HER. "Can you come?"

I don't think he was that into her. I doubt he has any major part in this.

That's all based on taylans claims and no actual proof of how much time they spent together. Additionally LE is seriously looking into at least three other people she chatted with online and spent time with in Istanbul, their DNA have even been collected. So I'm guessing LE know that she spent more of her time with others then she did alone. Just because the names or specifics have not been released publicly yet, doesn't mean that their isnt the possibly that they are a big part of this case.

 

[Herat]

I don't share your feelings that Taylan is clearly out.

Perhaps Taylan pursued her by phone, IM, and email, the whole time, asking for dates and arranging hook-ups. We don't know. Maybe she was fending him off the whole time she was there, and it was her who wanted the occasional hook-ups while he was gunning for more.

Surely you are aware that lonely people fall in love with others online. They are willing to send their life savings, get married, and do crazy things for what they imagine to be love. This love may not have followed the pattern you find typical. That doesn't mean it didn't happen.

There are multiple explanations of the evidence possible.

My feeling is that if he hasn't been cleared by DNA evidence, Taylan is candidate number one.

I strongly agree with this analysis.

Here he is, an unemployed, but educated Turkish man who connects worldwide with people over photography. I'll guess 75% of the people on those IG-type sites are male and few appear to be single "available" females. Then all of a sudden pretty Sarai Sierra responds to his sly flattery and not only that---- she is coming to Turkey to see him! How much more ego-stroking can it be? Regardless of her words, it is easy to imply intent for a sexual liason in this development. She is not coming with family, or a photo club, or a tour. She is not stopping by for a day or two, but three weeks. Huge opportunity for him? In his mind, what is going to happen? Are they going to have a mad affair? Is she going to take him to the United States?

I think this must have started off akwardly when she stays in the least expensive place in a kind of crummy neighborhood and she is not the libertine he thought she might be. However, never discount exotic situations for the promotion of romances. I think she did not disclose her marriage or children early on. Maybe not until the last day. Would that be enough to turn someone into a furious angry rage- that they had been "deceived"- in their mind- and not going to be taken to the US, etc. Maybe SS had taken a fancy to a different IG contact and TK felt threatened. One of the other 4 internet contacts LE is still interested in. It's a thought.

TK is still the only person we know of that had contact with SS her last day. The turkish cellphone must have communications on it that LE is analyzing. It is difficult for me to believe TK only saw SS twice in that entire trip, and the first time was when she had been in Istanbul for 5 days. That just doesn't add up at all.

My other contention: SS was going to meet someone she knew and liked that last day- the different bag, the extra pair of shoes for a social occasion, the jewelry.

With the void of other suspects, TK is still the prime one. However, the other internet contacts not known to us are also in the same highly suspicious group.

 

[ToutCa]

Hi guys. I've been reading the posts from last night & today. It seems that we are back to the 2nd telephone issue. It doesn't seem logical to ME and nor the airbnb guy or LE mentioned the other phone. I don't know where that even started from. Can somebody please please give me a link talking about the second mobile?

There was a lot of discussion of this I think on Thread #1.

The "two phones" theory started because LE and mainstream media stated her "Turkish phone" was found in her room. Media reports claimed Turkish LE said officially many times they could not track her by her phone pings because she left her "Turkish phone" in her room.

It has further been stated and confirmed that her "American phone" and iPad were missing from the scene of the crime -- and still are missing.

There is no concrete proof she had two phones, but I would say most observers of the case have deduced "two phones" by the preponderance of the evidence.

FWIW

 

[Chewy]

There is no "Takar" involved in this case -- his name is "Taylan". I agree with you that Taylan could have fabricated the bathroom sex story to cover up some more romantic sex (her place, his place) that would throw more suspicion on him.

None of us, me included, have proved anything about the nature of her trip.

And if we jailed everyone perceived as "hinky" by others, all of us on this thread would surely be posting from prison somewhere...

It behooves all of us to keep an open mind here!

I may have typed Takar wrong but I read that Taylan K is the name he gave but his actual name is Takar? I should have typed Tarkan

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york...arai-sierra-marietal-strife-article-1.1260331

Sierra is allegedly linked to 'Tarkan K' -- a turkish man she she visited on her trip.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york...rietal-strife-article-1.1260331#ixzz2KDiA3ugh

 

[Munich]

I haven't seen this article before, but it has a very comprehensive detail of how she spent her last day, which I believe was pasted together through footage from the CCTV cameras.

It also includes some images for people who have not been to Istanbul if you need help visualizing it.

[LINK]

 

[lavy]

I may have typed Takar wrong but I read that Taylan K is the IG name he gave but his actual name is Takar?

No his IG name was @taylloo. (Changed to sahhrudd now)

His actual name is Taylan. K is the initial of his surname

 

[Chewy]

I strongly agree with this analysis.

Here he is, an unemployed, but educated Turkish man who connects worldwide with people over photography. I'll guess 75% of the people on those IG-type sites are male and few appear to be single "available" females. Then all of a sudden pretty Sarai Sierra responds to his sly flattery and not only that---- she is coming to Turkey to see him! How much more ego-stroking can it be? Regardless of her words, it is easy to imply intent for a sexual liason in this development. She is not coming with family, or a photo club, or a tour. She is not stopping by for a day or two, but three weeks. Huge opportunity for him? In his mind, what is going to happen? Are they going to have a mad affair? Is she going to take him to the United States?

I think this must have started off akwardly when she stays in the least expensive place in a kind of crummy neighborhood and she is not the libertine he thought she might be. However, never discount exotic situations for the promotion of romances. I think she did not disclose her marriage or children early on. Maybe not until the last day. Would that be enough to turn someone into a furious angry rage- that they had been "deceived"- in their mind- and not going to be taken to the US, etc. Maybe SS had taken a fancy to a different IG contact and TK felt threatened. One of the other 4 internet contacts LE is still interested in. It's a thought.

TK is still the only person we know of that had contact with SS her last day. The turkish cellphone must have communications on it that LE is analyzing. It is difficult for me to believe TK only saw SS twice in that entire trip, and the first time was when she had been in Istanbul for 5 days. That just doesn't add up at all.

My other contention: SS was going to meet someone she knew and liked that last day- the different bag, the extra pair of shoes for a social occasion, the jewelry.

With the void of other suspects, TK is still the prime one. However, the other internet contacts not known to us are also in the same highly suspicious group.

Can we clarify if she knew TK prior to going to Turkey? It seemed to me that she met him there?

 

[ToutCa]

I may have typed Takar wrong but I read that Taylan K is the name he gave but his actual name is Takar? I should have typed Tarkan

Yeah, there has been a lot of confusion.

SS also had brief IG contact with a Turkish guy named "Tarkan A", but supposedly never met him in person.

For a brief period the media thought Taylan K and Tarkan A were the same person, and that Taylan's real name was Tarkan.

Apparently, they really were 2 different people, and they are back to referring to him as "Taylan", "Taylan K", or "TK" or sometimes "Taylan TK".

Sorry it's so confusing!!!!

 

[Yashim]

Hi guys. I've been reading the posts from last night & today. It seems that we are back to the 2nd telephone issue. It doesn't seem logical to ME and nor the airbnb guy or LE mentioned the other phone. I don't know where that even started from. Can somebody please please give me a link talking about the second mobile?

:banghead:

There is no second cell phone, Lavy. There was only a mobile phone battery charger. Probably the Turkish press used the term "cep telefonu şarjı" (mobile phone charger) and google translated as "charged mobile phone".

Our guys were doing great, so I just didn't want to interfere and correct them.

 

[Chewy]

Only our imaginations can fill in the blanks. But we do know that SS tried to initiate the last meeting...not him.

"Can you come."

If your scenario is true,and she was being pestered by his unwanted attentions...that does not make sense. She would have been happy to get out and be alone, unbothered by him...not seeking to meet with him once again.

Again, we have no proof that they met any more than twice. That is not a hot and heavy romance. If after the bathroom sex, she wanted to break it off, she didn't need to meet him...just spend one more day alone and LEAVE. Send him the Instagram version of "its not you, its me." She would be thousands of miles away. That majes him no problem in her real life.

I no longer see anything romantic in this trip.We can fanatize it either way. But there is no proof that any of these "tour guides" were madly in love with SS. Nor she with them.

This is how I see it as well. It seems to me that she met TK there and was enamoured and maybe even lonely and bored since she had traveled alone. I've traveled to Cyprus with family and have gotten lonely and bored anyway. Three weeks is pretty much my limit.

Maybe she felt let down by the trip and he was one person she knew so she was pestering him not necessarily out of romantic needs but just because he was a friend she met there and wanted companionship.

 

[ToutCa]

Can we clarify if she knew TK prior to going to Turkey? It seemed to me that she met him there?

It has been widely reported they met through Instagram, and that they chatted online for 4 months or so before the trip.

 

[Chewy]

Yeah, there has been a lot of confusion.

SS also had brief IG contact with a Turkish guy named "Tarkan A", but supposedly never met him in person.

For a brief period the media thought Taylan K and Tarkan A were the same person, and that Taylan's real name was Tarkan.

Apparently, they really were 2 different people, and they are back to referring to him as "Taylan", "Taylan K", or "TK" or sometimes "Taylan TK".

Sorry it's so confusing!!!!

Unfortunately his name is very similar to my ex husband's name which is why I keep typing it wrong. I will use TK from now on.

 

[Chewy]

It has been widely reported they met through Instagram, and that they chatted online for 4 months or so before the trip.

Can you please cite this. It would be helpful. If that's the case it doesn't make sense that he was not more involved in helping the investigation.:waitasec:

 

[lavy]

There was a lot of discussion of this I think on Thread #1.

The "two phones" theory started because LE and mainstream media stated her "Turkish phone" was found in her room. Turkish LE said officially many times they could not track her by her phone pings because she left her "Turkish phone" in her room.

It has further been stated and confirmed that her "American phone" and iPad were missing from the scene of the crime -- and still are missing.

There is no concrete proof she had two phones, but I would say most observers of the case have deduced "two phones" by the preponderance of the evidence.

FWIW

BBM

I've read all the discussion in thread #1. I also read almost all the news related to the case never ever seen that.

Turkish LE never said such thing. If you prove me wrong I'll accept how dumb I am and send 100 donuts (or chopsticks if you prefer) to you.