05.06.2026 09:11
The body found in Ozan Creek in the Bafra district of Samsun in 2006, which was buried in a paupers' cemetery because its identity could not be determined, was identified through DNA testing as belonging to Gülcan Yazıcı, who had disappeared 20 years ago. In the investigation conducted on suspicion of murder, Yazıcı's sibling, the father of her two children with whom she had previously lived in a religious marriage, and his friend were taken into custody and referred to the courthouse.
The Bafra Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Samsun requested a re-investigation of a female corpse found in Ozan Stream in Ozan District on March 14, 2006, by the Provincial Gendarmerie Command, which was buried in a paupers' cemetery as its identity could not be determined. It was assessed that the corpse was shot in the head with a 7.65 mm caliber bullet. During the investigation, 1,000 women reported missing between 2005 and 2006 were analyzed. Deepening the investigation, teams predicted that the corpse might belong to Gülcan Yazıcı, who was living with Kemal Y. in Yalova at that time and had been reported missing. A DNA sample was taken from Sultan O., the daughter of Yazıcı and Osman O., with whom she had previously lived in a religious marriage. It was determined that the DNA of the corpse and Sultan O. matched with 99.99% probability. A report was prepared stating that Yazıcı was the biological mother of Sultan O.
SHE CAME FOR HER DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY Investigations revealed that Gülcan Yazıcı came from Yalova to Darboğaz District in Bafra, Samsun on November 17, 2005, for her daughter's birthday, and after visiting her children Sultan and Selim, she was never heard from again. During the ongoing investigation, it was determined that Darboğaz District, where Yazıcı came at that time, and Ozan District, where the unidentified corpse was found, are very close to each other. Meanwhile, a photograph showing Yazıcı with her children was also added to the investigation and analysis report.
Murdered Gülcan Yazıcı (center) with her children Sultan (right) and Selim (left) In the interview report with Gülcan Yazıcı's daughter Sultan O., it was stated: "Gülcan Yazıcı came to Darboğaz village in Bafra district of Samsun province on November 17, 2005, for her daughter Sultan O.'s birthday, and visited her children Sultan and Selim, who were staying at Bayram A.'s house. She saw her children and spent time. The aforementioned Gülcan Yazıcı stayed with her children. A few days later, the father of the children, Osman O., also came to the house belonging to his friend Bayram A., where the children were left. Gülcan Yazıcı and her children stayed together in this house for a few days. Afterwards, Gülcan Yazıcı gave her daughter Sultan O. a phone number and left the village."
SHE GAVE HER PENSION TO CARE FOR HER CHILDREN In relation to the incident, Gülcan Yazıcı's brother N.Y., Osman O. with whom she had previously lived in a religious marriage, and his friend Bayram A. were taken into custody. The suspects were referred to the courthouse today after their procedures at the gendarmerie.
Meanwhile, it was learned that Osman O. had left his children Selim and Sultan O. with his friend Bayram A. to care for them in exchange for his pension. It was stated that Selim and Sultan O. are currently in Yalova, and Gülcan Yazıcı's grave is located in Istanbul.
"I GOT SUSPICIOUS" Nejdet Demir (72), who found Gülcan Yazıcı's corpse in Ozan Stream in Ozan District, said: "We had come for fishing. While casting a net, I stepped on something soft. At first, I thought it was an animal, but when I looked, I realized it wasn't an animal. I got suspicious and it seemed like a human corpse. It was all decayed; its ear and arms were missing. Without touching it, I told my elder brother, who was the village head at that time. The gendarmerie and prosecutors came and took my statement. They took the corpse away, that's the situation. I don't know Gülcan Yazıcı. Besides, such a thing wouldn't happen in Ozan District. I've never seen her either."
"I DON'T KNOW IF THEY THREW IT THERE OR IT WAS DRAGGED" Fatih Demir (43), who helped remove the corpse from the stream, said: "They said a corpse was found, we went there. We removed the corpse from the water with a tractor. There are two different streams here. One comes from Darboğaz and Dikencik directions, and the other from Çayır and Çakallı directions. This is the confluence point of the two streams. The corpse was found about 1 kilometer away from our location. We took it under gendarmerie escort and handed it over. I don't know if they threw the corpse there or if it was thrown from further upstream and dragged here. I was in my 20s at that time."