Striking development in the Çağla Tuğaltay murder case: Neighbor's grave opened
In the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the murder of 15-year-old Çağla Tuğaltay, who was found dead in her home in Şişli, Istanbul 26 years ago, an exhumation order was issued for 5 individuals, and the first grave was opened today. It was learned that the person whose grave was opened was Lütfi Ş., who lived in a shanty house near the home where Tuğaltay was found dead. DNA samples taken from the grave will be compared with the DNA profile found under Çağla Tuğaltay's fingernails.
İHA
The investigation into the murder of 15-year-old Çağla Tuğaltay, who was found dead in her home after returning from school 26 years ago in Şişli, is deepening. As part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a site inspection was carried out at the apartment building where Çağla Tuğaltay was killed and in its surrounding area.
Teams re-evaluated the apartment entrances, stairwells, and points indicated by witnesses. It was learned that a criminal investigation (luminol) was also conducted in the basement apartment examined by the Crime Scene Investigation teams, and it was stated that the work was carried out to detect blood traces that might have been cleaned years ago.
In the ongoing investigation, the names of potential suspects who lived in the neighborhood at the time were identified, and work began last week to obtain DNA samples. Following the 'exhumation' decision, the graves of İsmail Hakkı Ç., Fehmi S., Bülent S., and Baki G., who were identified within the scope of the investigation, will be opened in sequence, and DNA samples taken from the graves will be compared with the DNA profile found under Çağla Tuğaltay's fingernails.
Lütfi Ş.'s grave in Kilyos has been opened
Within the scope of the exhumation order, the grave numbered "376" in Kilyos Cemetery belonging to Lütfi Ş., who lived in a shanty house approximately 20 meters away from the house where Çağla was killed, and whom Çağla's family knew by first name but not by surname, and who passed away in 2023, was opened.
It was learned that DNA samples were taken from Lütfi Ş.'s grave. The DNA samples taken from the grave will be compared with the DNA residues found under Çağla Tuğaltay's fingernails.
'Exhumation' process to be applied to 4 more people's graves
On the other hand, it was learned that the graves of the other suspects mentioned in the file, İsmail Hakkı Ç., Fehmi S., Bülent S., and Baki G., will also be opened in the near future following the 'exhumation' decision.