Defense of woman who killed her husband revealed: 'To scare him'

The incident occurred on July 19, 2025, on the first floor of a 3-story house in the Alikahya Fatih neighborhood. According to the information obtained, an argument broke out between Fatmanur Okur (36) and her husband Şükrü Okur (29). As the argument escalated, the woman shot her husband, a father of one, with a rifle found in the house. While Şükrü Okur lay on the ground covered in blood, health and police teams were dispatched to the address upon notification. The medical teams arriving at the scene determined that Şükrü Okur had lost his life. The woman, who was taken into custody, was arrested by the court after completing her procedures at the police station.

"He cut off the heads of my bird and cat to punish me"

The first hearing at the Kocaeli 8th High Criminal Court was attended by the detained defendant Fatmanur Okur (36), the victim Şükrü Okur's (29) father and complainant Hacı Ahmet Okur, witnesses, and the lawyers of the parties. Making her defense in the hearing, Fatmanur Okur claimed that she had struggled with her husband's drug addiction and violence throughout their 11-year marriage.

The defendant, who alleged that her husband had previously been imprisoned for being a member of the terrorist organization ISIS, said, "I wanted to divorce him before, but he held a gun to my head and said he would harm my daughter and my family. My father-in-law also knows that I would not intentionally kill Şükrü. He cut off the heads of my bird and cat to punish me. I had 3 miscarriages due to his beatings. I was constantly picking my husband up off the streets."

Describing the night of the incident, Fatmanur Okur said, "On the night of the incident, I was eating with my child. He was under the influence of drugs. He claimed the child was not his. I calmed him down at night and fed him. I fell asleep with my child, and after a while, he woke me up. He wanted to take me to a woman's house and sell me. He would engage in different actions when he was in a drug-induced crisis," she said.

"I'm good at cutting heads, you know that well"

Okur continued her defense as follows:

"I had fallen asleep. He said, 'Get up, we're going, they've arrived.' My daughter woke up to the noise, and he kicked her. I said, 'Fine, I will sell myself, I will buy you drugs.' Then I put my child to sleep. I took my father's rifle from the upper floor. When I came back, he was lying on the bed. We argued, and he said, 'I'm good at cutting heads, you know that well.' He said that even if I filed a complaint, nothing would happen to him. Then, when he lunged at me, the rifle went off suddenly. I had picked up the weapon to scare him. I did not do it knowingly or intentionally. I only learned he had died while in prison. I was subjected to his cruelty and violence for 11 years."

Furthermore, Okur stated, "I request that my trial continue under house arrest."

Mental competency report came back full

Upon the presiding judge reminding her of her statements at the police station and the prosecutor's office that she "shot her husband while he was sleeping," the defendant defended herself by saying, "My current statement is correct. I did not say it that way; I described the event, but I signed the report without reading it. I was receiving psychiatric treatment before entering prison, but I have stopped using medication now."

The health report prepared for the defendant was also read during the hearing. The presiding judge announced that, according to the report, the defendant's mental competency is full.

"Şükrü would die for his child"

The victim's father and complainant, Hacı Ahmet Okur, who filed a complaint against the defendant, said, "I did not see the incident. I learned that my son had died when the police in Erzincan notified me. She shot my child while he was sleeping. What explanation could there be for this? I took care of them for 8 years. Şükrü did not need money. I was sending them money. I do not know if my son used drugs. When they had arguments, I would take Fatmanur's side. Şükrü would die for his child; what does it mean to sell him? How could Şükrü use drugs at 6:30 in the morning? I sacrificed my life for them. She killed my son while he was sleeping. My son spent 2 years in prison for drugs but was acquitted; this is proven. I do not think the murder was committed alone," he said.

The defendant's father, Turan K., who was heard as a witness, claimed that his son-in-law had been in prison in the past on charges related to ISIS, while the aunt, Elifnur, who was appointed as the trustee for the couple's 3-year-old daughter, stated, "I am not filing a complaint against the defendant. Şükrü subjected my sister to violence many times. I also saw drugs in their house."

The court panel decided to continue the defendant's detention and adjourned the hearing.