Background
A woman living in the Körfez district of Kocaeli went missing in autumn 2008, and her daughter disappeared about a year later, in 2009. Despite the relatives' appeals, searches and excavations in Kocaeli and Sakarya produced no concrete result at first. The initial investigation was closed for lack of evidence, and the file stayed dormant for years.
In late 2018 the family appealed to a television programme. The broadcast drew the attention of the authorities, and the Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office treated it as a criminal complaint and reopened the file. For this reason the case is remembered as an eleven-year-old missing-person file brought back to life.
Under Turkish criminal law, 'possible intent' describes a situation in which the perpetrator, although not wanting a result, foresees that it may occur and accepts the risk. The concept matters for understanding the conviction in the daughter's part of the case, and it is assessed separately from offences committed with direct intent. The Court of Cassation also reviewed and rejected the appeals arguing for direct intent.
The investigation
In the reopened investigation, a large-scale search was carried out with detection dogs. Seven people, including a married couple and close relatives, were taken into custody; all but one were arrested. An indictment prepared in February 2019 was accepted by the Kocaeli 7th High Criminal Court, and the trial began in 2019.
The file on the mother's death and the file on the daughter's death were handled separately. In the daughter's file the defendants faced different charges, while a charge of improper burial was split off into a separate case.
Gathering evidence in files reopened after many years is always difficult: traces fade and witnesses' memories change. In this file the investigation relied mainly on statements and renewed searches. Many of the defendants denied the charges brought before the court.
Court rulings and where it stands
In the daughter's file, the local court convicted one defendant of killing with possible intent ('olası kast') and sentenced him to aggravated life imprisonment, while the other family members were acquitted of that charge. In 2026 the 1st Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation upheld the ruling, making the sentence and the acquittals final.
In the mother's file, the local court's conviction was overturned by the Court of Cassation and sent back for reconsideration. Some defendants were released after that decision. Readers should consult official court records for the latest status of the mother's file.
The case showed that a file closed for years can be reopened through public attention, and it prompted debate on taking missing-person reports seriously from the first days. This text is written with respect for the victims and relies only on facts established by court decisions.