02.11.2026 16:12
The murder of Bahaddin Sefer, whose body was found in 2007 in a freezer covered with concrete in the courtyard of a house in Mersin, was solved with the detention of 6 suspects in the reopened unsolved case. According to statements, Sefer was killed by 3 friends with whom he had been drinking alcohol; when the body did not fit in the freezer, his legs were cut off. The suspects claimed they committed the murder on the grounds of an 'honor issue'.
The 19-year mystery surrounding the murder of Bahaddin Sefer, found in 2007 in a freezer in the courtyard of a house in Mersin, enclosed by bricks and covered with concrete, has been solved by the suspects' confessions. Within the scope of the cold case reopened by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the statements of the detained suspects revealed that Sefer was killed by 3 friends with whom he had been drinking alcohol, after being struck on the head with an iron bar and having his throat cut, and that his legs were cut off when his body did not fit in the freezer. It was learned that the suspects, who shared the victim's gold and money after the murder, claimed they committed the incident on the grounds of a 'matter of honor.'
On August 1, 2007, in the courtyard of a detached house at 4537 Street in Bahçe Neighborhood of Akdeniz district in Mersin, a freezer was found inside a structure surrounded by bricks and plastered with concrete. When the refrigerator, which was lying on its side, was opened, a male body wrapped in a rug was found; examinations determined that the body belonged to 49-year-old Bahaddin Sefer. After Sefer's death, with a fracture on his head and a sharp-instrument wound on his neck identified, the file remained unsolved.
After the efforts initiated by Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek to solve unsolved murders, teams from the Provincial Police Department Public Order Branch Directorate Homicide Bureau launched work within the scope of the file re-examined by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. As a result of technical and physical surveillance conducted within the scope of the crime of 'premeditated and brutal intentional homicide,' simultaneous operations were carried out on the morning of October 30 at 6 addresses in Batman, Izmir, Aydın, Yozgat and Sivas, centered on Mersin. Hikmet Ş., Hadi Y., Ahmet İ., Bektaş Ş., Özlem Ş. and Ayşe E. were detained in the operation.
WHEN HE WOULD NOT FIT IN THE FREEZER, THEY CUT OFF HIS LEGS
The suspect statements entered into the investigation file revealed details about how the murder was committed. According to the statements, around 23:00 on the night of the incident, Bahaddin Sefer, Hikmet Ş., Süleyman K. and Hadi Y. drank alcohol together at the victim's house. During this, Süleyman K. approached Sefer from behind and struck his head with an iron bar. As Sefer fell to the ground, Süleyman K. and Hadi Y. pounced on him, while Hikmet Ş., who works as a plasterer, cut the victim's throat with the knife in his hand.
The suspects, realizing that Sefer had died, wrapped the body in a rug and removed the door of the refrigerator at the house. The suspects, trying to place the body inside by laying the freezer on its side, cut off his legs when they were unsuccessful because the victim was large in build. It was stated that they placed the body in the freezer in this way.
THEY MADE THE FREEZER THEY BURIED IN THE COURTYARD LOOK LIKE A BENCH
It was determined that the suspects, wanting to eliminate the traces of the murder, moved the freezer to the courtyard of the house, poured concrete inside, surrounded it with bricks and plastered over it to give it the appearance of a bench that could be sat on. It was stated that Hikmet Ş. and Süleyman K. obtained construction materials from an open warehouse in Alsancak Neighborhood, and that the removed refrigerator door was thrown into Yumuktepe Stream by Süleyman K. using a commercial taxi.
It was also reflected in the investigation file that the suspects shared Bahaddin Sefer's gold, money and unlicensed firearm among themselves after the murder. It was learned that when neighborhood residents asked about Sefer, Süleyman K. explained, 'Bahaddin went to Izmir, he does not want to meet anyone. I bought his belongings by borrowing money,' and when asked about the fresh concrete in the courtyard, he said, 'We did it together with Bahaddin to put flowers on it.'
THE CLAIM THAT THE MURDER WAS A MATTER OF HONOR
It was learned that in their statements the suspects put forward allegations of sexual assault and harassment dating back years as the justification for the murder. Ayşe E. claimed that during the period when Hikmet Ş., with whom she lived for about 40 years without an official marriage, was in prison, she went to Bahaddin Sefer to ask for money to meet her children's needs, and that Sefer closed the door and raped her. Ayşe E., stating that after Hikmet Ş. learned of this incident he began to harbor great grudge and hatred against the victim, said that her ex-partner had said of Sefer, 'This Bahaddin is dishonorable, despicable, he deserves death.'
Hikmet Ş.'s son Bektaş Ş. also claimed that Bahaddin Sefer sexually harassed him when he was a child. Bektaş Ş., stating that he concealed the incident for years and told his father in 2026, argued that these allegations were influential in the decision to kill.
WE KILLED HIM AND GOT RID OF THE DESPICABLE ONE
One of the most striking statements in the investigation file was Bektaş Ş.'s confession-like account. Bektaş Ş. recounted that about 7-8 months before the operation, while drinking with his father Hikmet Ş. and Ahmet İ. in the park across from MESKİ near the Mersin Courthouse, he asked how Bahaddin Sefer was killed.
Bektaş Ş., recounting that upon this question Ahmet İ. said, 'He harassed people's wives and daughters, that despicable man deserved death; we killed him and got rid of the despicable one,' claimed that his father Hikmet Ş. also confirmed these words and shouted, 'We killed him and got rid of the despicable one.' He stated that Hikmet Ş. also scolded him, saying, 'Because he looked sideways at people's wives and daughters, all right, close this matter now.'
Ahmet İ., while confirming the alcohol meeting in the park, claimed that he did not say the word 'we killed him' and that these statements were voiced by Hikmet Ş. Ayşe E. also alleged that her ex-partner Hikmet Ş. came home after the murder and threatened her, saying, 'I finished off this despicable Bahaddin, I killed him, I cannot stay here anymore. If you tell anyone about this, I will cut, chop and kill you too.'
While the 6 suspects, whose procedures at the police station were completed, were expected to be referred to the courthouse, it was reported that the investigation into the incident continues under the coordination of the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.