He killed his brother and told police 'I found him dead at home': Life imprisonment requested

The trial of Harun Can (43) was held regarding the incident on October 27, 2024, in the Fevzi Çakmak neighborhood of Bahçelievler. Harun Can had initially gone to the police to report that his brother, Kenan Can (53), was found dead at home. After police teams determined that no one else had entered the building or the house, he was taken into custody, where he confessed that he had been having inheritance disputes with his brother and had killed him with a hammer while he was sleeping. The hearing took place at the Bakırköy 23rd High Criminal Court, attended by the detained defendant Harun Can and the lawyers of the parties. Additionally, Zeynep Sude K., who claims to be the biological daughter of the victim Kenan Can, requested to join the proceedings. Meanwhile, Kenan Can's former fiancée, Emine K., participated in the hearing as a 'witness'.

REQUEST FOR AGGRAVATED LIFE IMPRISONMENT

During the hearing, the Public Prosecutor presented their opinion on the merits. The opinion stated that it was observed that the victim's cranial integrity had been destroyed, that the defendant had given inconsistent statements throughout the process, and that it was understood that the defendant's commission of the crime was established based on the entire case file. Furthermore, the Public Prosecutor requested that the defendant Harun Can be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of 'intentional killing of a lineal relative with monstrous intent or by causing torment'.

'I WILL KILL MY BROTHER'

In her testimony as a 'witness', Kenan Can's former fiancée Emine K. stated, "We got engaged to Kenan years ago. After the engagement, we had a child before we were married. I last saw Kenan 23 years ago when we met in a park for our daughter. My daughter is disabled; the defendant has previously claimed that I committed this murder, but this is not true. I would not do anything to harm my daughter."

Another witness, Bora M., stated in his testimony, "I know the defendant from the neighborhood. The day before the incident, the defendant came to me and said, 'I will kill my brother,' and asked for my help. I told him I would not help him."

TIME GRANTED TO PARTIES

The court panel announced its interim decision, ruling for the continuation of the detention of the defendant Harun Can and granting time for the parties to present their defenses and statements against the announced opinion, and adjourned the hearing.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

In the indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Kenan Can was listed as the 'victim' and Harun Can as the 'suspect'. The indictment stated that on October 27, 2024, Harun Can went to the police station and reported that his brother Kenan Can had passed away after arriving at their home, prompting police teams to go to the address. The indictment noted that the police found Kenan Can lying dead on the bed in the room with signs of trauma on his head, and encountered skull fragments, tissue pieces, and bloodstains splattered on the walls, observing that the victim's head had lost its physical integrity.

The indictment emphasized that according to the narrative provided in Harun Can's report, the investigation was conducted under the assessment that the murder took place inside the house, as the victim could only have died either due to a medical condition at home or following a physical intervention he encountered while outside.

The indictment also included information from camera footage analyzed by law enforcement, stating that no other person who could be related to the incident was detected entering the apartment building where the victim Kenan Can was located before or after the incident, and for these reasons, suspicions focused on the defendant who made the report.

The indictment stated that the suspect Harun Can ended his brother Kenan Can's life by striking and crushing his head with a hard object that could not be recovered during the investigation phase. It was requested that Harun Can be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of 'intentional killing of a lineal relative with monstrous intent or by causing torment'.