Family of Fadim, murdered despite a protection order: 'The killer is trying to get a sentence reduction by claiming he had a mental breakdown'

Sinem Nazlı Demir - 12punto.com.tr

The trial of Savaş Temirhanoğulları, who murdered Fadim Temirhanoğulları in Antalya, continues at the Antalya 1st High Criminal Court. During the hearing, the detained defendant Savaş Temirhanoğulları said, "I was not a man who kills women. It was a moment of insanity. I was not aware that I fired 9 shots on the day of the incident," but many documents regarding the moment of the murder were presented to the court, revealing contradictions in the defendant's statement. Fadim's family and lawyers demand that the defendants be tried to the fullest extent of the law and that justice be served.

Fadim Temirhanoğulları, the manager of the Atapark Residences in the Hurma neighborhood of Antalya's Konyaaltı district, had obtained a 3-month restraining order against her husband, Savaş Temirhanoğulları, who was in the process of divorcing her. On September 12, 2024, around 04:30, Savaş Temirhanoğulları arrived at the house with his friend Fikret İnal. Savaş Temirhanoğulları fired 9 shots at Fadim with a handgun and fled the scene. Meanwhile, the couple's 15-year-old daughter, İ.T., who was sleeping in her room, woke up to the sound of gunfire, thought she was having a nightmare, and went back to sleep. When she woke up in the morning and found her mother murdered, İ.T. and the neighbors whose doors she knocked on called the 112 emergency call center.

Health officials dispatched to the address determined that Fadim Temirhanoğulları had lost her life. Examining security camera footage, the Murder Bureau teams determined that Savaş Temirhanoğulları had gone to the Korkuteli district in his friend Fikret İnal's vehicle. The teams caught Temirhanoğulları and Fikret İnal in their hiding place with the murder weapon. Savaş Temirhanoğulları was arrested, while his friend Fikret İnal, who was alleged to have helped him escape, was released.

'THEY TRIED TO GET A REPORT STATING THE DEFENDANT IS NOT MENTALLY SOUND'

The trial of Savaş Temirhanoğulları, for whom a lawsuit was filed at the Antalya 1st High Criminal Court regarding the incident, continued. A detailed autopsy report belonging to Fadim Temirhanoğulları was presented to the court panel. The autopsy report determined that 9 bullets hit Temirhanoğulları. Defending himself regarding the audio recordings, the defendant Savaş Temirhanoğulları said, "They are talking about a setup. During the court process, an image of me as a monster, a rapist, and a pervert is being created. I am not a man who kills women. It was a moment of insanity. I was not aware that I fired 9 shots on the day of the incident. If there were a gallows, I would not hesitate to put my head in it."

In the last hearing, as a result of the examinations regarding the request of Savaş Temirhanoğulları's lawyers to obtain a report stating that the defendant is "not mentally sound," it was determined that the defendant is mentally sound, and it was decided that the detention of the defendant Savaş Temirhanoğulları would continue. Additionally, audio recordings in which the suspect allegedly threatened his wife were presented to the court.

'SAVAŞ BEAT ME, TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME'

Speaking to 12Punto, Attorney Yağmur Burçin Sayın, one of the lawyers for the case and a volunteer for the Association of Children and Women First, explained the latest stage of the case. Stating that Savaş had systematically abused Fadim throughout their marriage and made slanderous accusations, Sayın emphasized that Fadim had asked for help from those around her because she was afraid:

"After a while, Fadim called her sister to the house out of fear because the level of violence was increasing. Shortly before the incident, Fadim sent a message to Savaş's sister, Sonay, saying, 'Savaş beat me and kicked me out of the house. Take Savaş away from me. When I said I didn't want intimacy, he hit me. He is poisoning the child and slandering me. I do not want Savaş in any way.' In fact, Fadim felt she was under threat."

'ALMOST ALL OF THE FIRST 6 BULLET IMPACTS ARE LETHAL'

Touching upon what happened on the day of the incident, Sayın draws attention to the contradictory statements between the defendants:

"On the day of the incident, the door entrances were actually locked, and somehow Savaş opened these locks and entered Fadim's house with the other defendant, Fikret İnal. It was also revealed in the reports that the door was forced. You don't go to a house at that hour of the night to reconcile. There are contradictions in the defendants' statements. The other defendant, Fikret İnal, is still not in custody. They claim that Fadim knew Savaş was coming to the house. They stay inside the house for a total of 4.5 minutes. Savaş fires first from a distance, then from close range. Almost the first 6 gunshots are lethal. This murder takes place in 4.5 minutes."

'WHY WOULD A NORMAL PERSON PUT A PHOTO OF A GUN ON THEIR ACCOUNT?'

Stating that the defendant Savaş Temirhanoğulları admits to killing Fadim but claims he committed this murder under unjust provocation, Attorney Yağmur Burçin Sayın explained that Savaş is trying to get a reduction by using the defense that "Fadim cheated on me":

"Savaş claims that he committed this crime after Fadim told him 'I cheated on you' on the day of the incident, because there is no other situation for which they could get a reduction, and they know this. However, the other defendant, Fikret, gives another contradictory statement, saying, 'Fadim sister spat in Savaş's face, so he got angry. The gun went off while Savaş brother was trying to take the gun from Fadim's hand.' Furthermore, it is revealed in the documents that Savaş used the phrase 'If a stone touches Fadim's foot, let her know it's from me' in a voice message he sent to a friend a few weeks before the murder."

Stating that the report that the defendant Savaş Temirhanoğulları is "mentally sound" arrived at the last hearing and that the requests of the defendant's lawyers to obtain another forensic medical report were rejected, Sayın conveyed that the court is now waiting for the transcript of the 112 call. Attorney Sayın also said that the defendant Fikret İnal had put photos of guns and bullets on his own social media account shortly before the murder, and stating that this important development should also be recorded, she asked, "Why would a normal person put a photo of a gun on their social media account?"

'THEY FIND THE RIGHT TO KILL WOMEN THEMSELVES'

Evaluating the trial process and the crimes of femicide committed in Turkey to 12Punto, Sayın described the spiral of violence that Turkey is currently in with these words:

"They make false defenses by talking about a woman's honor, using another man as an excuse, and saying they killed her in a fit of insanity. A woman getting a divorce and building another life is a very normal situation. Because they see women as property, they think they have the right to kill a woman and then slander her afterwards.

They slander women with non-existent, abstract allegations and try to get a sentence reduction."

The third hearing of the case was postponed to April 9. Fadim Temirhanoğulları's family and lawyers want the public to be informed about the file and for the defendants to receive the punishment they deserve.

'WE FELT AS IF SHE WOULD COME OUT FROM SOMEWHERE, SMILING AND HUGGING US'

Fadim Temirhanoğulları's sister, Şerife Saçlı, also said in her statement to 12Punto regarding the file, "We are sure that my sister would never have let anyone into the house at that hour in any way. If she had heard that that man was coming, she would never have opened the door. Because we know very well what my sister has been through lately. We want the killers to receive the heaviest punishment and for justice to be served. We spent a holiday without her for the first time. We felt as if she would come out from somewhere, smiling and hugging us."

News Source: Sinem Nazlı Demir