JASAT solves 11-year-old murder in Manisa using mirror fragment

Turkish authorities have solved the 11-year-old murder of Meral Babacan, whose body was discovered on the Akhisar-Manisa highway on July 6, 2015. The breakthrough came after the Gendarmerie Crime Investigation Team (JASAT) re-examined a single piece of evidence left at the scene: a plastic side-mirror frame.

Forensic experts identified the fragment as belonging to a specific vehicle model. By conducting time-and-distance measurements using city security camera (KGYS) footage, investigators located a vehicle matching the part that passed the area at the time of the incident. The investigation revealed the car had been sold in Şanlıurfa in 2017, and the current owner confirmed the mirror had been replaced.

Following an operation, the suspect, identified as R. Ç., was apprehended and subsequently arrested by the court.

In a broader context, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that the resolution of the Babacan case is part of a larger effort to solve long-standing cold cases. He noted that three such files—including a 19-year-old disappearance in Aksaray and a 15-year-old murder in Gaziantep—have recently been resolved through the coordination of the Ministry of Justice and law enforcement agencies.