Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that 71 murders in 64 cases have been removed from the "unsolved" category as part of efforts to shed light on cold cases.
In a post on his X account, Gürlek provided information regarding the work carried out by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices and law enforcement units under the coordination of the Department for Investigation of Unsolved Crimes. The statement noted that significant progress has been made in three separate cases in İzmir, Mersin, and Osmaniye, dating back 10 to 21 years, through new evidence, witness statements, and technical examinations.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THREE CASES
One of the announced cases was the Mehmet Çabuk investigation, which was also featured on the television program "Müge Anlı ile Tatlı Sert." According to Minister Gürlek, a suspect currently in prison provided new statements regarding the investigation into Çabuk, who went missing in Osmaniye in 2016.
It was stated that the suspect confessed to killing Çabuk on January 27, 2016, and burying him in a house garden. During excavations conducted following the suspect's pointing out of the location, bone fragments were found approximately 4 meters below the concrete floor. The remains were sent to the Council of Forensic Medicine for identification and to determine the exact cause of death. Within the scope of the investigation, 2 suspects were arrested, and a judicial control decision was issued for 1 suspect.
Action was also taken based on new evidence in the case of Muharreme Oral, who has not been heard from since 2005 in the Menemen district of İzmir. It was reported that 5 suspects were detained in an operation conducted on October 19, 2026, following allegations that Oral was killed by family members—a claim evaluated alongside secret witness statements and communication records—and that he was thrown into a well. Gürlek noted that efforts are continuing with underground imaging and scanning devices to locate the body.
In the investigation regarding Furkan Coşkun, who was kidnapped in Mersin on October 9, 2016, and has not been heard from since, witness statements and communication records were re-examined. Following the detection of communication links between some witnesses and suspects, proceedings were initiated against 9 suspects on October 20, 2026. While 7 of the suspects were detained, it was determined that 2 were already in penal institutions.
Gürlek thanked the Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices and law enforcement units in Menemen, Mersin, and Osmaniye, stating, "We will keep the memory of justice alive and will not give up on any unsolved case."
News Source: 12punto
