Turkish court seeks aggravated life sentence for husband in Elena Beyder murder case

In November 2018 Elena Beyder Usluca disappeared from her home in Antalya, Turkey. Her husband, Mehmet Erkan Usluca, reported her missing to the Muratpaşa police on 25 December 2018, claiming she was ill and had possibly traveled abroad. Over the following year, investigators traced her last movements, discovered a sold Opel car, and identified phone activity linked to the suspect.

A joint operation in 2022 uncovered skeletal fragments in a forested area of Aksu, confirming Beyder's death. Court documents allege that Mehmet Erkan Usluca killed his wife during an argument, hid the body with the assistance of his brother R. U., and later used her belongings and vehicle. The prosecutor is requesting an aggravated life‑imprisonment sentence for Mehmet Erkan Usluca, while R. U. was released under judicial supervision.