Antalya murder of Şeref Kocabıyık solved after 12 years, five suspects sent to court

On 25 November 2014, a fire broke out in a guard post located in a construction site in Kepez district, Antalya. The blaze killed Şeref Kocabıyık, a retired imam and father of two, after he was stabbed and his body burned. At the time, his wallet and mobile phone were missing from the scene.

The case was reopened in 2024. Police examined the missing phone’s base‑station and call‑detail records, which led to the identification of five suspects. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that the perpetrators had been detained, underwent health checks, and were transferred to court. The suspects – identified as A. D., A. H., I. H., A. H. and M. A. – are now facing trial for the 2014 murder.

Investigators reported that there were no signs of arson and that the new forensic evidence, especially the phone analysis, was decisive in solving the long‑cold case. The legal proceedings continue.