Turkey resolves two major cold case murder investigations

Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that the Unsolved Crimes Research Department has successfully resolved two major cold case murder files through advanced forensic and technical analysis.

The first case involves the 2018 murder of Abdülhamid Terkin in Istanbul's Gaziosmanpaşa district. By re-evaluating HTS and base station records, improved security footage, and witness statements, authorities identified a fifth suspect, who has since been arrested for intentional murder.

The second case concerns the disappearance and murder of 54-year-old Ayşegül Yaşar in Osmaniye's Düziçi district in August. Following a disappearance reported by her family, investigators used biological evidence found in a suspect's vehicle that matched samples from Yaşar's parents. This led to the arrest of a suspect, identified as T. K., along with his parents. T. K. confessed to strangling Yaşar during an argument in a vehicle and burying her in a forest in Kahramanmaraş's Andırın district. Her body was recovered in a buried state with her hands tied.

Minister Gürlek emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring that no crime remains unpunished and no murder remains unsolved, regardless of how much time has passed.