Umut Altaş appears before US judge, says he'll help locate Gülistan Doku's body

Umut Altaş, the fugitive suspect in the 2020 disappearance of university student Gülistan Doku in Tunceli, Turkey, was captured in the United States on 22 May after an Interpol red‑notice operation. He is being held at an ICE detention centre in Pennsylvania. His first US court appearance is scheduled for 30 June, when he will attend remotely.

According to a lawyer who met Altaş, the suspect has expressed a desire to be deported to Turkey and has offered to show prosecutors the location of Gülistan Doku’s corpse. Officials consider the upcoming hearing a potential turning point in a case that has seen 12 arrests, three releases on judicial control, and extensive security‑camera analysis of the victim’s last movements.

The US proceedings will also address separate charges against Altaş, including identity‑fraud, resisting arrest and assault. The outcome of the hearing could influence the pending extradition request by Turkish authorities and may finally resolve the long‑standing murder investigation.