GUILTY Turkey - Sarai Sierra, 33, NY woman murdered, Istanbul, 21 Jan 2013 - #3

[NewYork625]

I think the current theory is that she had a lay-over in Munich on her way back to Istanbul. Someone in the last thread found a flight that is literally half the price of other Amsterdam-Istanbul flights that had a 9 1/2 hour layover in Munich. I don't believe she spent the night there. It seems like it was more of a stop on her way back to Istanbul from Amsterdam, and is likely she never left the airport there.

That was me. It was on Expedia and was several hundred dollars cheaper than the flights without layovers.

 

[CMac2]

Nothing extraordinary but I did find this interesting so I'll share:

MailOnline: UPDATED: 05:50 EST, 8 February 2013

"Meanwhile, friends today told MailOnline that the beautiful woman appeared nervous in the weeks leading up to her solo trip to Istanbul.

'Sarai had never been abroad before and she seemed more scared than excited when I last saw her,' said a neighbor at the smart apartment block where Sarai lived with her husband Steve and their sons, aged 9 and 11.

'When she first talked of going to Europe three months ago her eyes were alight with excitement. But as the time neared she seemed very nervous.

'I’m not surprised really – I told her even experienced travelers worry. But I did say she was brave to go alone.'

LINK

Obviously going abroad for the first time would have been scary for her

Yes- definitely scary for a first time traveler. But more scared than excited? That makes me think she had other things on her mind, causing her worry. Something to do with the non-photography reason(s) for the trip.

And if she was this scared prior to even leaving, I'm even more skeptical that she chose to go to those walls all by herself. Doesn't sound like she'd have been willing to go there, unless there was a very specific reason to.

 

[KivaSupporter]

There are now reports she was telling people she was single, including the AirBnB guy.

Ammer (the Amsterdam guy) says she had a layover in Munich, which makes no sense timewise. There are several unaccounted for days during her jaunt out of Istanbul.

There's a big difference between flying to AMS on 15 January and then to Munich the next day. This is not a layover, since she returned to IST on 19 January. The media here is not even asking "Have you seen this woman". Very strange.

They are also now reporting the other tourists (Swedish and Japanese) as well as this "rape black spot"

As for this large chin wound it does sound like she could have fallen from something during this attack or perhaps there was some kind of knife involved to threaten her with.

[LINK]

Her husband and the guy in Munich stated she went to Munich to see a large photography exhibition. Are you aware of any at that time?

 

[NewYork625]

OT but did anyone see Ammer's latest instagram photo? He said he's making a statement to the press. Guess he's not happy with them either!

 

[lavy]

Yep- I'm referring to the landlord. And I totally agree. I think it was lavy who said in a previous thread that had it been her, she'd have told the landlord she was married with 10 brothers. LOL..

Not married with 10 brothers. Married and have 10 brothers :floorlaugh:

 

[Munich]

I think the current theory is that she had a lay-over in Munich on her way back to Istanbul. Someone in the last thread found a flight that is literally half the price of other Amsterdam-Istanbul flights that had a 9 1/2 hour layover in Munich. I don't believe she spent the night there. It seems like it was more of a stop on her way back to Istanbul from Amsterdam, and is likely she never left the airport there.

I would also agree, however why is there a span of days missing in the middle? We're talking 2-3 days here. This is a reasonable amount of time that the Ammer (AMS) says she was gone, but has not really been accounted for.

Again, no surprise there are contradictions, but this timeline states:
Jan. 7: Sarai Sierra arrives in Istanbul, rents room.
Jan 15: Goes to Amsterdam and Munich.
Jan 18: Returns to Istanbul.
Jan 19: Skypes with her husband, the last time he speaks to her. Posts pic on Instagram of New York City with tag, “Never far from my mind.”
Jan. 20: Skypes with her two sons, the last time they talk to each other.
Jan. 21: Due to fly back home. Sends sister instant message saying she’s going to take pictures at Galata Bridge before going to airport. Never checks in for flight.
Jan. 22: Husband reports her missing. Turkish authorities release video footage of her eating alone at an Istanbul mall. It’s not clear when images were recorded.
Jan 25: Istanbul police organize search with over 260 officers for Sierra.
Jan 27: Husband and brother fly to Turkey.
Feb. 2: Sierra’s body is found in a rundown section of Istanbul.
Feb. 3: Police say Sierra was killed by blow to the head. A witness claims to have seen a woman’s hand hanging from a bundle a man was leaving in the area previous night.
Feb. 4: Sierra’s body moved to an Armenian church in Istanbul.

Also, interesting she skypes with her husband one day and sons the next. That would make it seem like they weren't at the same place or perhaps he was working. Let's not forget there's a 7 hour time difference between IST and NYC.

[LINK]

 

[tardislass]

Also, interesting she skypes with her husband one day and sons the next. That would make it seem like they weren't at the same place or perhaps he was working. Let's not forget there's a 7 hour time difference between IST and NYC

. I'm wondering if they stayed with her parents as a city bus driver can have odd hours.

 

[NewYork625]

Her husband and the guy in Munich stated she went to Munich to see a large photography exhibition. Are you aware of any at that time?

Perhaps she chose the flight to save money, and decided to see the exhibition since she had 9 1/2 hours to kill.

 

[CMac2]

Not married with 10 brothers. Married and have 10 brothers :floorlaugh:

Haha!! Yet another example of language barriers totally changing the meaning of someone's words!

 

[KuriousKev]

Nothing extraordinary but I did find this interesting so I'll share:

MailOnline: UPDATED: 05:50 EST, 8 February 2013

"Meanwhile, friends today told MailOnline that the beautiful woman appeared nervous in the weeks leading up to her solo trip to Istanbul.

'Sarai had never been abroad before and she seemed more scared than excited when I last saw her,' said a neighbor at the smart apartment block where Sarai lived with her husband Steve and their sons, aged 9 and 11.

'When she first talked of going to Europe three months ago her eyes were alight with excitement. But as the time neared she seemed very nervous.

'I’m not surprised really – I told her even experienced travelers worry. But I did say she was brave to go alone.'

LINK

Obviously going abroad for the first time would have been scary for her

Does anyone remember when SS started IG'ing? Better yet, does anyone remember when she 1st started having communications with Istanbul residents?

 

[Orgona]

<snip>

Or maybe the landlord is lying and she never told him she was single to begin with. Though I don't know what his motivation would be to lie about something like that. Why make something up to cast the victim in a more negative light after she's already dead? Unless, of course, he's the one who killed her.

Who knows? Maybe to get his 15min of fame? To be in the newspapers? I'm not convinced Sarai told him she was single, but can't say/proof she didn't either.

 

[NewYork625]

Her husband and the guy in Munich stated she went to Munich to see a large photography exhibition. Are you aware of any at that time?

I found this photography exhibit in Munich during that time. It seems like something Sarai would have enjoyed:

http://www.photography-collection.com/exhibitions/fritz-winter-and-abstract-photography/

 

[necco]

OT but did anyone see Ammer's latest instagram photo? He said he's making a statement to the press. Guess he's not happy with them either!

Would you be? His friend is dead. Her name is being dragged through the mud. Tabloids have called him everything from a manwhore to a drug smuggler. I'd be pretty angry, too.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Perhaps she chose the flight to save money, and decided to see the exhibition since she had 9 1/2 hours to kill.

That would make sense.

My question is was there any such exhibition in Munich at that time.

 

[tardislass]

If she went to that exhibit CCTV cameras must caught her near or at there.

 

[CMac2]

Does anyone remember when SS started IG'ing? Better yet, does anyone remember when she 1st started having communications with Istanbul residents?

She uploaded her first pic to her memyself_sarai account on June 1, 2012. Not sure when she started communicating with the folks from Turkey though.

 

[Munich]

Perhaps she chose the flight to save money, and decided to see the exhibition since she had 9 1/2 hours to kill.

I am struggling to think of what exhibit she'd go to. A daily subway ticket would set her back 10€. Maybe something at Haus der Kunst, but this would take some digging and time to get to.

Getting to and from the city center is a direct subway line, but getting around the city would take some work. Even if she had a 9+ hour layover it would take about 45 minutes each way to and from the airport plus museum entry and subway fare.

Not being an experienced traveler would maybe have her risk it, but it sounds like one of those great in theory and not in practice ideas if she wasn't familiar with the city and didn't have a lot of expendable cash. As always, nothing to lean one way or the other, just something to bring even more questions.

 

[lavy]

I have realized something. Something that all of you probably know from the beginning.

Either that police is not sure if she was killed on spot OR a the rock peep used to killer her was found 1 m away must be a lie.

Even if she was killed 100 meter away I can't imagine the peep carrying her and the rock.

 

[Munich]

Do we know for sure that she left the airport in Munich? I think I recall you saying that since her passport was stamped that indicates she came by plane rather than train...

I would think they would have surveillance of her in the airport too, and possibly also on public transport if she indeed left the airport.

I do not think she would have gone to Munich this time of year unless she had a friend there. I mean she had friend in Amsterdam and Istanbul why would Munich be different?

Of course if this was just a layover then none of that matters. Maybe it was layover and Munivh fare was cheapest..

It is possible she came by train, which could account for some of the missing time, but since it sounds like Ammer mentioned this time change...

The first news reports were incorrect. She spent 3 days in AMS and left for Munich the 18th. The IGs that Ammer posted appear to be from the evening...he escorted her to the airport and had some coffee before going back home. That still makes the Munich layover not make much sense but it was for less 24 hours.

So it sounds like she was just in MUC for a layover and that she arrived via airport and likely stayed there if those news reports and dates were initially wrong. That would at least make those pieces fit.

 

[KuriousKev]

Would you be? His friend is dead. Her name is being dragged through the mud. Tabloids have called him everything from a manwhore to a drug smuggler. I'd be pretty angry, too.

This may affect him for many years in a lot of ways. His name is attached to a murdered tourist on MANY news websites. Nowadays potential employers and landlords Google search prospective employees/tenants. Yeah, that sucks