22.03.2025 15:00
The trial has begun for the defendant who, while riding a bicycle in Antalya, stabbed a valet and then, 15 minutes later, fatally stabbed a trumpet artist. The autopsy report revealed that the deceased trumpet artist was killed by 48 stab wounds. The words of the trumpet artist's mother, who spoke after the hearing, broke hearts.
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On the night of September 27, 2024, around 01:00, Polat Dereli, who went to a café located in the Muratpaşa District, got into an argument with Osman Dere, who was working as a valet, and attacked him with a knife. Osman Dere, who was injured, was taken to the hospital, while Dereli fled the scene on his bicycle. About 15 minutes later, the suspect got into an argument with Deniz Akten, who works as a trumpet artist in the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Band and City Orchestra, and severely injured Akten with 47 knife wounds. Teams that arrived at the scene upon notification determined that Akten had lost his life.
THE SUSPECT WATCHED THE WORK AT THE CRIME SCENE While the homicide bureau teams were conducting an investigation at the crime scene, it was noticed that Dereli was present at the scene and watching the work. Dereli, who was caught by the police, was arrested by the court he was brought before and sent to prison.
AUTOPSY REPORT: 48 STAB WOUNDS In the autopsy report prepared by the Antalya Forensic Medicine Institution, a total of 48 stab wounds were detected on Deniz Akten's body. The report stated that 12 of the cutting and stabbing wounds in the chest, back, neck, and abdominal regions were lethal. It was recorded that Akten's death was caused by severe internal and external bleeding due to major vascular injuries and internal organ damage. Additionally, it was determined that some wounds penetrated the rib cage and reached the lungs and stomach. The report noted that no gunshot wounds were found on Akten's body.
REQUEST TO JOIN THE CASE Deniz Akten's mother, Fatma Akten, and father, Aydın Akten, submitted a petition to the court through their lawyer, Ömer Faruk Doğruyol, stating that the suspect acted with monstrous feelings and requested to join the case. The petition emphasized that the suspect "endangered public safety by randomly attacking people in society and watched the investigations conducted after the incident." The family requested that the suspect receive the heaviest penalty.
THE SUSPECT DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS Polat Dereli, the suspect who appeared before the judge for the first time at the Antalya 3rd High Criminal Court, denied the allegations in his defense. Dereli stated that he had gone swimming that night and spent the night on the street, saying, "I had been living in my car on the street for 1.5 months before the date of the incident. On the day of the incident, I had gone swimming in the area where the Karpuz Kaldıran Military Camp is located with my friends. As it got cold, I started walking towards the Wednesday market where my car was parked. While I was walking, a civilian vehicle stopped me, they said they were police, and they detained me. I had no knife in my hand. I do not know the deceased Deniz Akten and Osman Dere, who is present, and I did not commit any act of injury or murder against them; I do not remember the incident. I request my acquittal and release," he said.
"I SUFFERED A FACIAL PARALYSIS" Osman Dere, the complainant who was attacked with a knife during the incident, detailed his experiences in court. He stated that he was working at the café that night, was on valet duty, and was sitting in front of the workplace with his friends at the time of the incident, using the following expressions: "When the police car arrived, they asked me for coffee. I gave them coffee. At that moment, the suspect was at the valet table and stepped back when he saw the police. I didn't feel anything because the environment was crowded, and I returned to my friends. However, after a while, the suspect started looking at me as he passed by. My friend Berkay, who was next to me, noticed that the suspect was looking at me and warned me. Upon this, I asked the suspect, 'What’s up, brother, do you want something?' He said to me, 'You know.' I asked, 'What do I know?' He said, 'I will say something.' Thinking that he would just ask a question, I went to him. Just then, he suddenly pulled out his knife and stabbed it under my left ear. I was shocked and immediately pulled back, but the suspect quickly stabbed me in the chest as well. I ran towards the crowd inside in a panic. Those who saw that I was injured immediately intervened. The suspect quickly fled the scene."
Osman Dere stated that he suffered facial paralysis after the attack and became unable to work for a long time, saying that he had to undergo surgery. Emphasizing that he is a complainant against the suspect, Dere said, "I have a request to join the case. I want the suspect to be punished as severely as possible."
"I CANNOT DESCRIBE THE PAIN" Deniz Akten's parents, Fatma and Aydın Akten, also attended the court, stating that the suspect should receive the heaviest penalty. Father Aydın Akten said, "My son had no enmity with anyone. He had only left home to go to his friend that night. The suspect killed my son without any reason. As a father, I cannot describe this pain. I want the suspect to receive the heaviest penalty."
"I AM EXPERIENCING THE GREATEST PAIN OF MY LIFE" Mother Fatma Akten, in tears, said, "I want this monster who took my Deniz away from me to receive the heaviest penalty. I am experiencing the greatest pain of my life. I wait every day to hear my son's voice, but nothing will ever be the same again. I want justice to be served."
"HE SHOUTED 'I HAVE BEEN SHOT'" Yiğitcan Günaçtı, who was heard as a witness at the hearing, stated that he was with the complainant Osman Dere on the night of the incident. Describing how the incident occurred, Günaçtı said, "I went to the café to see Osman. We were sitting together when Osman said something and stood up. Then suddenly he went inside and shouted, 'I have been shot.' His face and chest were covered in blood. The suspect was still outside at that time and had a knife in his hand. I can definitely identify him."
INTERIM DECISION FROM THE COURT The court board stated that the crimes committed by the suspect are among the serious crimes specified in the law and that there is strong evidence related to the incident, deciding to continue the detention of the suspect, to obtain a definitive report for the permanent mark on the face of the complainant Osman Dere, and to wait for the report from the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution to determine the suspect's mental health.
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The next hearing is scheduled for May 28, 2025.
GRIEVING MOTHER: HE WROTE HIS OWN NOTES After the hearing, grieving mother Fatma Akten spoke to İhlas News Agency, sharing her pain in tears. She stated that her son had only gone outside to visit a friend, but lost his life. Akten recorded the following words: "I am very sad. A loss of a child. But I was surprised and saddened by the defendant's logical responses, saying 'I didn't do it.' Deniz went out to visit a friend. His friend, who worked elsewhere that night, had not yet arrived, so he stopped by the place where his other friends in the band were playing. He spent time with them, chatted, and even sent a video he took from there to his friend. He communicated via phone. Then this horrific event happened on the way. I believe that such patients should not be left untreated in society. A life was lost, a very young child is gone. Our family has been shattered, it has torn us apart. We are very sad."
Fatma Akten also described the impact of her deep sorrow on her life, saying, "Since that day, I have gained a lot of weight; I have become very unwell from grief. Deniz was my only child. I did everything to raise him, I always followed up to ensure he graduated successfully. He was very successful; he wrote his own notes. His friends can't stop talking about him. I had encouraged him in music. His absence is a great pain; there isn't a day I don't cry. The bag where they put his clothes and belongings at the police station still remains as it was. When I throw it away, it feels like I would be throwing away my son," she expressed.