GUILTY Turkey - Sarai Sierra, 33, NY woman murdered, Istanbul, 21 Jan 2013 - #6

New Posts

I just think there are more layers here, and maybe we haven't yet really figured out what they are....but I think for some reason, someone is trying to use Z as the scapegoat.

Again its weird we have heard so much about DNA under her nails and blood on her shirt....

But this recent article doesn't mention a thing about DNA under her nails. And it emphasizes the blood on her shirt was a very small amount. And it does say it is a 100% match to Z.

But IF a spot of blood is the ONLY DNA link to Z....and DNA under the finger nails is untrue, or not a match (and i think if it was a match this article would also mention the dna under her mails being a 100% match)...... It just seems it would be a lot easier to plant a small amount of blood at a crime scene, then DNA under nails.....

It just makes me even more skeptical of how much suspect evidence they REALLY have on Z. And if there motive for going after him isn't do to something else, like being a key witness.
 
zarra30 said:
Maybe, but how would anyone know for sure she was taking a picture on her phone. I'm guessing all the press when she was missing for 12 days was about her being a 'photographer' and it would be easy for them to pick up on that and try to use that in their 'bogus' sighting of her 'wandering away from them' and 10 minutes later that scream. Like you and Chewy say, not believable.
Click to expand...

Your right. You would have had to study her IG account to know how she used these devices in regards to her photography.

Which means he only said that based on a vague idea she was their for photography and thus must have had a camera.

I wonder when he told this statement to police?

I wonder why he is lying?
 
This may be a hard case to solve. The habits of the victim are as important as the motives of the perpetrator/s. And as other posters have mentioned that's really complicated by distance, language, culture and not knowing her movements.

I remember a case many years ago (not in NY) where a girl who lived alone was found dead, hit by a train at 4AM ,and the local police wrapped it up as a suicide.
The problem was, she was found shoeless and in a raggedy nightgown that didn't fit her, no identification on her, and the only way for her to have gotten to that area of the train tracks (6 miles from her home) was to drive 5 miles which ended in a wooded cavern and then walk through a long dark tunnel that reeked of urine.

Anyone who knew her knew that she was fastidious, dressed immaculately, hated the dark and loved her cat more than anything. She didn't drive. Her friends said she didn't do drugs, but who knows? Apparently the conductor thought he saw someone running in the dark and so they chalked it up to the runner being her and assumed she simply went bonkers. They closed the case, over her father's strong objections.

Even given a (doubtful) mental breakdown, just knowing how she fussed over her old cat and fed it three times a day made her friends and family doubt she'd not have left a note or extra food or had ID on her.
 
I really hope this case doesn't go cold. And I really hope that the 95% of the info LE has is useful and finds the truth, in its entirety, whatever it may be.

I feel that Ziya does know something important about this case, and fear that if he is not found, or found dead, LE might lose key information, and no one will ever know the truth.
 
I really hope this case doesn't go cold. And I really hope that the 95% of the info LE has is useful and finds the truth, in its entirety, whatever it may be.

I feel that Ziya does know something important about this case, and fear that if he is not found, or found dead, LE might lose key information, and no one will ever know the truth.
 
ThinkHard said:
I really hope this case doesn't go cold. And I really hope that the 95% of the info LE has is useful and finds the truth, in its entirety, whatever it may be.

I feel that Ziya does know something important about this case, and fear that if he is not found, or found dead, LE might lose key information, and no one will ever know the truth.
Click to expand...

I don't think her family will let it go cold. From press reports, they seem loving and close and involved. I have no way of knowing and this is just speculation on my part, but they may be keeping silent because the investigation is ongoing.
95% is a lot. I think they'll get it right. I hope so.


I apologize if I offended anyone in my previous post. I didn't mean to sound flippant or rude, in case it came out that way. I would have edited it, but the edit button was no longer displayed.
 
ThinkHard said:
I think the idea that the media or a politician is going to come to the rescue of a homeless man is more of an ideal then a reality. Casey Anthony was proven innocent in a court of law, the media certainly was not helping her cause, the only helped crucify and vilify her in the court of public opinion. What you are suggesting in theory is nice, but I just don't think it is the reality of the world. And certainly not the reality accessible to a homeless man with no connections, and his DNA at the crime scene of a murdered American tourist.
Click to expand...
Someone specializing in advocacy under these special circumstances would maybe provide a less bleak assessment, or so that’s what anyone would hope for a potentially innocent man whose days of freedom are clearly numbered.

Fact is, the longer he remains at large, the guiltier he appears, and this will only be damaging for his defense if and when he’s tried.

I am sure the criminal justice system in Turkey is flawed like everywhere else, so either way he is screwed.

I must admit that briefly reading some of the latest news surrounding Turkey’s overly broad antiterrorism laws and how freedom of expression is outright discouraged in some cases pretty much makes my words seem totally unrealistic.

A human rights defender would be thrown in jail. It’s not surprising to learn about how many political prisoners they have there, since this is a global problem.

I simply thought somebody could step in and assist him if he had proof of his innocence, as was done with Chen Guangcheng, though that was an entirely different situation.

So that’s that, I won’t mention that anymore.

To address one of your questions posted elsewhere, if Ziya entertains xenophobic ideas about American culture, mistrusts U.S. governmental agencies like the C.I.A., this would probably give him or any other killer of a foreigner good reason to flee.

Suppose he believes the US is seeking to push for the harshest punishment. Or since he’s probably the creator of all this chaos, he fears his country is anxious to pillory him and show the world "true Turkish justice."

There’s a chance he’s feeding his paranoia thinking along similar lines.

Speculation...
 
Let me ask Alpmighty,or anyone else, did you read that SS did communicate to T that she had an interest in seeing the walls?

I recall her texting to T something about leaving now and she could go by herself...was that specifically for the walls? At 12:30 or so some accounts say T texted her he'll join her and hopes she has her wireless (was that for gps location?)

I also read once that T was to meet her at the Galata Bridge Eminonu side . Isn't that right in the area of the caves?

The last still picture of her which some of said is her at a take-out place , is that Galata Bridge, Eminonu side?

Thanks, just trying to piece together these last known pieces.

This was my post at the end of thread #5. Anyone have any answer?
 
pbj said:
Let me ask Alpmighty,or anyone else, did you read that SS did communicate to T that she had an interest in seeing the walls?

I recall her texting to T something about leaving now and she could go by herself...was that specifically for the walls? At 12:30 or so some accounts say T texted her he'll join her and hopes she has her wireless (was that for gps location?)

I also read once that T was to meet her at the Galata Bridge Eminonu side . Isn't that right in the area of the caves?

The last still picture of her which some of said is her at a take-out place , is that Galata Bridge, Eminonu side?

Thanks, just trying to piece together these last known pieces.

This was my post at the end of thread #5. Anyone have any answer?
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly the message conversation between sarai and Taylan, was

11:30am Sarai to Taylan "I'm crossing the tower now, will you meet me?"
12:15pm sarai to Taylan "I'm leaving now" and then something weird like, text me if you want my wireless I can't remember exactly.
12:45 Taylan to sarai "I'll meet you there, I assume you have wireless "

It was something roughly like that, don't take the quote as exact, but I read them so many times, so I know they are close. This was the exchange reported many many times in media BEFORE sarai was found.

There were some rumors/reports that Taylan told LE the were suppose to meet at Galata bridge, eminonu side, and he went there, but couldn't find her.

Then later after her body was found, there were some reportss that said something about how they were gonna go to the walls, and she said something like you don't have to come if you don't want to.

I never saw the actual transcript of these later claims though, so I never knew how true they were. Or if they were Taylan back peddling.

And yes the last know still is from the eminonu side of the Galata bridge, but not right near the bridge...further up the road, closer to serkeci.
 
Hasan B. (34) who is a homeless resident in the area where Sierra's body was found and has provided a blood sample in the investigation told police, "Sierra was wandering around the city walls. She took a photo of us with her camera. Then she wandered off. About ten minutes later we heard screaming." According to the statements obtained by locals, the perpetrators threw Sierra's telephone and iPad into the sea. Sierra had used both to take photographs that day of what could have been her murderers. Homicide Bureau detectives are now looking for these two items.

According to testimonies, there were four individuals who assisted in the murder.

These extracts from the article recently posted - if the locals know for sure that the perpertrators threw Sierra's telephone and iPad into the sea and exactly how many individuals assisted in the murder then the locals know who the perpetrators are.

Also, regarding the recent comment on Batumi, Georgia. I believe it was suspected that one of the other missing homeless had probably fled to his hometown of Batumi.
 
zarra30 said:
Chewy, you nailed it.
So true.
Click to expand...

Gotta take this report with a grain of salt, though (again, sigh). Would the local witness, guilty or not, ever say, verbatim: "Sierra was wandering around the city walls."?
 
ThinkHard said:
If I remember correctly the message conversation between sarai and Taylan, was

11:30am Sarai to Taylan "I'm crossing the tower now, will you meet me?"
12:15pm sarai to Taylan "I'm leaving now" and then something weird like, text me if you want my wireless I can't remember exactly.
12:45 Taylan to sarai "I'll meet you there, I assume you have wireless "

It was something roughly like that, don't take the quote as exact, but I read them so many times, so I know they are close. This was the exchange reported many many times in media BEFORE sarai was found.

There were some rumors/reports that Taylan told LE the were suppose to meet at Galata bridge, eminonu side, and he went there, but couldn't find her.
Click to expand...

Thanks ThinkHard. If anyone should know more about which of this information has been confirmed by whom, I'd be grateful to learn.

Like Zarra has rightly said: The victim's habits (and to see if/where she broke any) are really important in this case. In that respect, I admit it's strange to accept Sarai wanting to photograph homeless people.
 
alabaster said:
Thanks ThinkHard. If anyone should know more about which of this information has been confirmed by whom, I'd be grateful to learn.

Like Zarra has rightly said: The victim's habits (and to see if/where she broke any) are really important in this case. In that respect, I admit it's strange to accept Sarai wanting to photograph homeless people.
Click to expand...

He doesn't actually say it was a mutual agreement photo....could be a 'half-truth' as previously suggested: she inadvertently included some standers-by. Possibly she had often had to crop people from her city shots, or maybe photoshop them out.....just an idea.
 
ThinkHard said:
If I remember correctly the message conversation between sarai and Taylan, was

11:30am Sarai to Taylan "I'm crossing the tower now, will you meet me?"
12:15pm sarai to Taylan "I'm leaving now" and then something weird like, text me if you want my wireless I can't remember exactly.
12:45 Taylan to sarai "I'll meet you there, I assume you have wireless "

It was something roughly like that, don't take the quote as exact, but I read them so many times, so I know they are close. This was the exchange reported many many times in media BEFORE sarai was found.

There were some rumors/reports that Taylan told LE the were suppose to meet at Galata bridge, eminonu side, and he went there, but couldn't find her.

Then later after her body was found, there were some reportss that said something about how they were gonna go to the walls, and she said something like you don't have to come if you don't want to.

I never saw the actual transcript of these later claims though, so I never knew how true they were. Or if they were Taylan back peddling.

And yes the last know still is from the eminonu side of the Galata bridge, but not right near the bridge...further up the road, closer to serkeci.
Click to expand...

I found this version
'' “I’ll be across from the Galata Tower in a while, will you come?” Ms. Sierra reportedly wrote in an e-mail sent on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m., referring to a popular tourist attraction in downtown Istanbul. The text of the message was first reported in the Turkish paper Vatan.

The tower is a short walk from the hostel in the Tarlabasi district where Ms. Sierra had rented a room.

Ms. Sierra sent another message at 11:33 a.m., saying, “I’m leaving, call me if you want to reach me.”

Taylan replied at 12:45 p.m., writing, “I’ll come there, hope you have wireless.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/n...n-island-woman-found-dead-in-turkey.html?_r=0

(BUT it also says they found her cell phone in her room, so once again maybe misinformation )
 
SANDOVAL said:
I found this version
'' “I’ll be across from the Galata Tower in a while, will you come?” Ms. Sierra reportedly wrote in an e-mail sent on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m., referring to a popular tourist attraction in downtown Istanbul. The text of the message was first reported in the Turkish paper Vatan.

The tower is a short walk from the hostel in the Tarlabasi district where Ms. Sierra had rented a room.

Ms. Sierra sent another message at 11:33 a.m., saying, “I’m leaving, call me if you want to reach me.”

Taylan replied at 12:45 p.m., writing, “I’ll come there, hope you have wireless.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/n...n-island-woman-found-dead-in-turkey.html?_r=0

(BUT it also says they found her cell phone in her room, so once again maybe misinformation )
Click to expand...

Thanks SV, that's the report I remember, too. I'm a bit worried that Hürriyet (providing the most trustworthy reports so far, for me) never seemed to have followed up with LE info that would confirm this.

EDIT: Couldn't find this exchange on Vatan's website, even though all reports quote Vatan as the source.
 
ozma said:
This is an interesting idea, that Ziya could have bought a ticket and not used it. I too had thought Syria a strange destination, even though the turmoil there might work in his favor. But since he's from northern Turkey, I wouldn't think he would fit in there.

In fact at first I had thought maybe he went to Batumi/Georgia--I guess because of his being known as "Laz Ziya," I had thought he was from the northeast, and this would be the closest border to his hometown. But I was completely wrong. Karabük is in the northwest, not the northeast.

More importantly, a photo of him was later identified by the attendant on the bus to Hatay. Plus, in the article that Blackydress found, it says that the last sighting of him was by the security cameras in the Hatay bus station. (At least I think it says this -- hopefully she or someone else is around to confirm this.) There was also a report earlier that he was seen walking toward Reyhanlı, on/near the Syrian border.

Does anyone know the location of the Hatay bus station they are talking about? Because Hatay is the whole province, not a city, right? (I know that many provinces have the same name as their major city, but I didn't think that was the case for Hatay.)
Click to expand...

Yes you are right, he was sighted by the cameras in Hatay bus terminal. Hatay is a whole province, however there must be 1 bus terminal there. I am not familiar with the area so I do not know the location.
 
SANDOVAL said:
I think it was a knowledgeable Turk here who said the white car make and model was not, shall one say 'high class' and he/she doubted that T would have such a jalopy.
Click to expand...
As I remember, the woman who came forward as the witness said it was an old and a middle class Turkish made car. She use words "no it was Doğan or Şahin" Doğan and Şahin are middle class vehicles manufactured in Turkey. She also added that the man pulling or pushing the body was not young, but middle aged.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 163 more.
Total: 4,256 (members: 164, guests: 4,092)

Online statistics

Members online
164
Guests online
4,092
Total visitors
4,256
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,533
Messages
17,970,531
Members
228,798
Latest member
Sassyfox
Back
Top