06.03.2025 19:30
The murder of 15-year-old high school student Çağla Tuğaltay, who was killed after returning home from school to her house in Şişli on June 5, 2000, has remained unsolved for 25 years. Tuğaltay was found dead 25 years ago in her brother's room, which should have been the safest place, with her throat slit while wearing her school uniform. It was also noted that there were no signs of sexual assault. Suspicion has primarily focused on her older brother.
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The murder of 15-year-old high school student Çağla Tuğaltay, who was killed on June 5, 2000, after returning home from school in the Fulya neighborhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, has remained unsolved for 25 years.
FOUND WITH HER THROAT SLIT
Tuğaltay was found 25 years ago, in the safest place possible, in her brother's room, with her throat slit while wearing her school uniform. It was also noted that there were no signs of sexual assault.
THE SUSPECT BROTHER'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT WAS NEVER TAKEN
According to a report by tv100, brother İlker Tuğaltay stated that he was in Ordu on the day of the incident. However, his official statement was not taken until 2017, and blood and DNA samples were only collected in 2017. Investigations at the house found no foreign fingerprints or DNA, only traces belonging to the household. Forensic Medicine Professor Halis Dokgöz commented, "The killer is left-handed." Brother İlker Tuğaltay is also left-handed.
THE CASE FILE WAS REOPENED!
The murder remained unsolved. However, for the first time on October 16, 2024, İlker Tuğaltay's official statement was taken. Until now, only interviews had been conducted, and he had been believed. The case file is currently active.
SUSPICIONS ON THE BROTHER
Downstairs neighbor Gökçe stated in her official statement that Çağla entered the house with her key, expressed surprise to the person inside by saying "A-a" three times, and then a conversation, running, and loud fighting were heard, while her father said, "The brother must have come, they are fighting again." Everyone in the neighborhood has suspected İlker Tuğaltay from the very beginning. Today, the vast majority of the public shares the same suspicion.
'A FAMILIAR PERSON' SUSPICION
Reports that emerged in the media at the time included the following:
- It was reported that Çağla Tuğaltay, a student at Levent Girls' Vocational High School, may have been killed by 'a familiar person.'
- The horrific incident came to light after Çağla's mother called the house.
- After the phone did not answer for a long time, Gülnur Hanım, who had given the house key to a neighbor, called her to ask her to check. When neighbor Nilgün Çemberli entered, she was confronted with a horrifying scene.
- Neighboring woman immediately reported to the police that 15-year-old Çağla was found with her throat slit.
- No signs of rape were found, but it was recorded that the young girl's underwear had been removed.
- In the police investigation, no signs of forced entry were found at the entrance door, and it was understood that the killer washed his hands in the sink.
65 PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN STATEMENTS
As part of the investigation initiated by the prosecutor's office, statements have been taken from approximately 65 people, including Çağla Tuğaltay's boyfriend and her brother İlker Tuğaltay. Brother İlker Tuğaltay stated that he was in Ordu for university education on the day of the murder.
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS WAS JUST AVOIDED
The case was about to expire on June 5, 2020, when a last-minute development occurred. It was learned that the cold case unit conducting the investigation took the statement of a person who was working as a doorman at the time of the incident and requested a comparison of this person's blood sample with the blood found in the apartment after the murder and the tissue sample obtained from Çağla's nail. However, no further developments occurred until December 2024.
"WRITTEN STATEMENTS FROM FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN"
While it was thought that "the case was closed and gone, this murder remained a mystery," in recent months, lawyer Ümit Altay applied to the cold case unit prosecutor's office with a 14-item petition. Following this, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office took the statement of Çağla Tuğaltay's brother İlker Tuğaltay.
Altay stated: "We have transcribed all the programs the family has participated in for 24 years. We analyzed it and turned it into a petition. I submitted this to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. No written statements from family members have ever been taken in the case file.
"THERE IS NEGLIGENCE BY THE POLICE AND THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE"
They have not been taken as direct suspects or even as witnesses. There are many deficiencies. Evidence has not been collected properly. In our opinion, there is negligence on the part of the police and the prosecutor's office. After we submitted our petition to the prosecutor's office, İlker Tuğaltay's statement was taken by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Cold Case Unit on October 16. Action was taken again in a cold case file that had been inactive for 24 years."
REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL TEAM
After the development, many social media users called for a special team to be established to clarify the murder of Çağla Tuğaltay. All eyes are on the new steps to be taken regarding the issue.
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