03.05.2026 14:40
In Aksaray, the defendant Yaşar Can Kahya in the murder case of retired geological engineer Tekin Atılgan, whose body was found in a freezer, defended himself in court by saying, 'He forced me into a homosexual relationship, I killed him to protect my honor.' The defendant also admitted to destroying evidence. The family's lawyer stated that these allegations do not reflect the truth. While an aggravated life sentence is sought for the defendant, the trial was adjourned to June 19.
In the case regarding the murder of retired geological engineer Tekin Atılgan (55), whose body was found in an ice cream freezer after a missing persons report in Aksaray, the defendant, warehouse manager Yaşar Can Kahya (31), made a striking defense in court.
“I KILLED TO PROTECT MY HONOR”
During the hearing at the Aksaray 1st Heavy Penal Court, Kahya claimed, “He forced me into a homosexual relationship. I killed him to protect my honor,” defending his crime on this basis. The defendant also admitted to destroying evidence after the incident, saying, “I deleted the video recordings, disposed of his phone, and eliminated gunpowder and bullet marks.”
BODY WAS FOUND IN AN ICE CREAM FREEZER
Relatives of Tekin Atılgan, father of two, who had not heard from him since August 20, 2025, filed a missing person report six days later. Police found Atılgan’s vehicle without license plates in a hospital parking lot. Deepening the investigation, teams determined that a vehicle belonging to an ice cream factory had headed toward Niğde.
On August 28, teams found a burned ice cream freezer by the roadside near Altunhisar. When they opened the freezer, they encountered Atılgan’s lifeless body. It was determined that the person driving the vehicle used to transport the body was warehouse manager Kahya, who was apprehended on August 29.
AGGRAVATED LIFE IMPRISONMENT SOUGHT
In the prepared indictment, the prosecutor sought aggravated life imprisonment for the defendant on charges of “intentional killing to conceal a crime,” as well as prison sentences for “robbery” and “illegal possession of a firearm.”
FAMILY LAWYER REACTS
Atılgan’s family lawyer, Kerim Bahadır Şeker, reacted to the defendant’s defense, stating, “Witnesses say the exact opposite. They stated that our client had girlfriends. The defendant is making these claims to avoid conviction.”
HEARING ADJOURNED
The court adjourned the hearing to June 19 to complete missing procedures and hear witnesses.