Bones found 12 years after disappearance! Laid to rest in Elazığ

As part of an investigation coordinated by the Malatya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and conducted by the Homicide Bureau teams of the Malatya and Elazığ Police Departments, human bones buried in the ground were discovered at an address in the Doğanşehir district of Malatya on July 18, 2024.

Upon suspicion that the bones might belong to Hüseyin Bağatur (47), a father of three who had been reported missing, DNA samples were taken from Bağatur's relatives and children for DNA testing and an autopsy report, and sent to the Council of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul.

As a result of the matching of the DNA samples, it was determined that the bones belonged to Hüseyin Bağatur, and the autopsy revealed that Bağatur had been shot and killed with a firearm.

Hüseyin Bağatur's remains, which were received by his sister Zahide Kopan, were buried next to his parents' graves in Fırat Cemetery following the funeral prayer held at Fırat Mosque in his hometown of Keban, Elazığ, after the noon prayer.

"I WANT THE PERPETRATORS TO BE PUNISHED"

Bağatur's sister, Zahide Kopan, told an AA reporter that she had filed a missing person report with the police and the prosecutor's office when her brother disappeared in 2012 and had fought for years to find him.

Stating that she never lost hope of finding her brother until today, Kopan said:

"I didn't give up on Hüseyin; I searched for my brother a lot, and I went to both the missing persons bureau and the prosecutor's office. Thank God, I found my brother's body, I brought it back, and I laid him to rest. I couldn't reach my brother alive after searching for years, but at least I reached his body. My heart is burning; I searched for Hüseyin for years. I want the perpetrators to be punished. I am very emotional, but may God hold them accountable. My brother was not a man who deserved to end up like this; he hadn't done anything to deserve this. Which sister could endure this? May God be pleased with the Police Department, the prosecutors, and the police officers; may the Almighty have mercy. Justice has been served."

Bağatur's nephew, Muhammed Kopan, explained that they had found the body of his uncle, who had been reported missing for years.

Stating that his mother had fought for years to find her brother, Kopan said:

"My mother never gave up searching. We also didn't stop searching during this process. My mother was constantly trying to find my uncle. On July 18, police teams said they had reached a body and that they suspected it might belong to my uncle, Hüseyin Bağatur. They took DNA samples from the family and his children; there was a 6.5-month forensic medicine process, and as a result, it was confirmed that the remains belonged to my uncle. There is a suspicion of murder, and the investigation is ongoing. We want those responsible to be punished in the harshest way possible."

It was learned that as part of the ongoing investigation, Hüseyin Bağatur's ex-wife H.G., as well as A.R.T. and B.T., were arrested last year.