12.01.2026 13:27
Mustafa Cankurtaran, who killed his 79-year-old father Zihni Cankurtaran with an axe during a property sale dispute in Tokat and hid the body in the storage of the site pool he managed, using lime to prevent it from smelling, along with 5 suspects, was sent to the courthouse. An investigation revealed that Cankurtaran had killed his father 4 months ago.
New details have emerged regarding the incident in which 79-year-old Zihni Cankurtaran was killed with an axe by his son Mustafa Cankurtaran during a 'property sale' dispute.
THE MURDER WAS REVEALED WHEN HIS DAUGHTER COULDN'T GET IN TOUCH
Surayya Aksoy, who lives in Germany, came to Bursa in December and reported to the police that she had not heard from her father Zihni Cankurtaran for a long time. Following this, the teams of the Tokat Provincial Police Department's Public Order Branch detected abnormalities in the PTS records of the vehicle that Zihni Cankurtaran used to enter Turkey from Greece. Based on the findings, the possibility that the incident could be a murder was evaluated. A special team was established within the Homicide Bureau of the Public Order Branch under the coordination of the Tokat Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. After approximately 1.5 months of technical and physical work, the murder was clarified.
HE SOLD 3 PROPERTIES ON BEHALF OF HIS FATHER
In the investigation, it was determined that after Zihni Cankurtaran came to Turkey, he went to Tokat and that multiple properties registered in his name were sold with the power of attorney he gave to his son Mustafa Cankurtaran. It was found that a dispute arose between Zihni Cankurtaran, who wanted the money from the sales, and Mustafa Cankurtaran, which led to Mustafa Cankurtaran killing his father with an axe and hiding the body in the storage area of a pool he operated.
KILLED 4 MONTHS BEFORE HIS BODY WAS FOUND
It was alleged that Mustafa Cankurtaran told relatives who inquired about his father that he returned to Greece one morning without saying goodbye to anyone and that he delayed them from reporting. During this process, it was claimed that the suspect took his father's car, which he brought from Greece, to Ankara and sold it through unofficial means, disposed of some personal belongings in various ways, and kept some items due to guilt. Forensic examination revealed that Zihni Cankurtaran had passed away approximately 4 months ago.
5 OF THE 6 SUSPECTS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WERE SENT TO COURT
After the collection of evidence, the special team within the Homicide Bureau of the Public Order Branch conducted an operation on January 9. A simultaneous operation was carried out in Ankara, centered in Tokat, with numerous addresses being raided. Within the scope of the operation, Mustafa Cankurtaran and Z.C.C., İ.T., İ.N.C., O.B., and G.A., who were said to be connected to the incident, were taken into custody. G.A. was released after his statement at the police station, while 5 suspects were sent to court today. When Mustafa Cankurtaran was brought to the courthouse, he answered "Yes" to journalists' question, "Did you kill your father?"
It was reported that the investigation into the incident is ongoing in multiple directions.