Who was Murat Arpapay and where is Muhterem Percikli now?

MURAT Arpapay was a 57-year-old man who was tragically killed in Turkey in 2023.

We explain what is unfolding in this tragic case.

Murat Arpapay met Muhterem Percikli online
Newsflash

Who was Murat Arpapay?

Murat Arpapay was a 57-year-old Brit who moved to Turkey.

He worked in Istanbul as a translator.

Arpapay had met 19-year-old Muhterem Percikli at a cafe reportedly owned by his friend Ersen Basak.

Arpapay and Percikli are said to have begun a romantic relationship.

The Brit told Basak that he supported himself with money that was sent to him by his family from England.

What happened to Murat Arpapay?

CCTV showed Percikli arriving at an apartment building with Arpapay.

Three accomplices then followed the couple into the building and killed him by allegedly injecting a chemical liquid into his body.

His body was then left in a ventilation shaft of the flat he rented.

Locals discovered his remains on July 27, 2023, and reported it to police.

Başak is accused of entering the house and stealing money.

He is thought to have fled to Georgia.

Cops named the three accomplices who are said to have entered the apartment as Serpil Demir, Dogan Sariyildiz and Fatih Erginoğlu.

According to police, Sariyildiz and Erginoğlu have fled to Cyprus.

Percikli was taken into custody with a third accomplice Demir.

The police were able to determine Percikli had worn a blue wig while the others donned hats in order to avoid being identified.

Turkish media reported that Percikli said: “Ersen Başak introduced me to Murat as a rich person.” 

“When he entered the apartment, they beat him and knocked him unconscious.”

Local media reported that a murder investigation was launched when the autopsy performed at the Sirinevler Forsenic Medicine Institute found that the translator had been tied up at the wrists and had been injected in his neck.

Where is Muhterem Percikli now?

Percikli and Demir were arrested by police and remain in custody following their identification on the CCTV footage.

It is believed that Basak fled to Georgia, while Sariyildiz and Erginoglu travelled to Cyprus.

Police are preparing to file a Red Bulletin application seeking the arrests of the trio, according to CNN Turk.