He killed his girlfriend and tried to make it look like an accident: I ran after the truck, but I couldn't catch up

DHA

Creation Date: February 25, 2025 20:59

On May 18 last year, teams were dispatched to the 112 Emergency Call Center after a truck rolled off a cliff on Eskiköy Street in Halıdere Neighborhood of Gölcük district. Teams that went to the area saw Rümeysa Meriç Özcan lying motionless next to the truck with license plate 34 VM 9246 that rolled. Upon examination, it was determined that the young girl had lost her life. When a rope was found around Özcan's neck, Kocaeli Security Public Security Branch Office Homicide Bureau teams began an investigation on suspicion of murder. The autopsy revealed traces of beatings on Özcan's body and cuts caused by the rope around her neck.

AT THE POLICE HE FIRST SAID ‘IT WAS AN ACCIDENT’, THEN HE CONFESSED THAT HE KILLED HIM

The police teams, who deepened the investigation, determined that Rümeysa Meriç Özcan had met with her friends named Tunay Aydın, C.Ş. (20), EK (20), YAA (20) and KNK (17) on the day of the incident. The suspects, whose addresses were determined, were taken into custody. The investigation determined that Tunay Aydın and Rümeysa Meriç Özcan were lovers and had been walking around together throughout the day, and that they had separated from the other suspects in the evening and gone to the scene of the incident. Aydın stated in his statement at the police station that the incident was an accident, but in his statement taken after the investigation at the scene, he confessed to killing Özcan on the grounds that she had rejected his offer of sexual intercourse. Following the procedures at the police station, Aydın was sent to the Gölcük Courthouse and arrested by the court for the crime of "deliberate murder". The suspects C.Ş., Eşref KYAA and KNK were released after their statements.

AGGRAVATED LIFE IMPRISONMENT REQUESTED

In the indictment prepared by the Public Prosecutor regarding the incident, it was requested that the arrested defendant Tunay Aydın be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of "deliberately killing a woman" due to his anger at not being able to commit both the crime of sexual assault and assault on a woman, and up to 7 years in prison for the crime of "depriving a person of their liberty by using force, threat or deception." The prosecutor also made an additional decision not to prosecute the suspects KNK and YAA for the crime of "deliberately killing a woman", and Eşref K. and C.Ç. for the crime of "killing out of anger at not being able to commit another crime."

HE DID NOT MAKE A DEFENSE AT THE FIRST HEARING

The first hearing of the case opened regarding the incident was held at Kocaeli 1st High Criminal Court on December 19. In the hearing, the arrested defendant Aydın said that he did not want to make a defense at this hearing. The second hearing held today was attended by the arrested defendant Aydın, Rümeysa Meriç Özcan 's mother Kevser Erden and the lawyers of the parties.

'I THOUGHT RUMEYSA WAS JOKING'

The defendant Tunay Aydın, who was arrested and heard during the hearing, said, “I gave 2 statements at the police station regarding the incident. One was of my own free will. I accept the statement I gave of my own free will. I do not accept the statement taken with the CMK lawyer. On the day of the incident, we met with Rümeysa, drank alcohol, then went to the Yuvacık Dam and from there to the Ereğli coast. We met with Rümeysa’s mother. Later, we went to an entertainment venue with Rümeysa’s friends. They did not let us in, and Rümeysa and I caused a stir because of this. YAA and EK came, we went to another venue. We were not allowed in that venue either. Rümeysa and I went back to the coast. We drank the rest of our beers. Rümeysa said it was a place with a beautiful view. We went there according to Rümeysa’s directions. Our aim was just to sit and have fun. We were just being friends. I went to the back of the truck to go to the toilet. The truck was running at that time. Then I saw the truck moving. I thought Rümeysa was joking and would stop. "A short time later, the truck went down the cliff. Rümeysa and I did not have an argument before the incident," he said.

'THE ROPE IN THE PICKUP TRUCK WAS FOR THE LOAD'

Defendant Tunay Aydın said, “The rope found inside the truck was for the load. However, I neither saw nor know that rope. I did not even go down to the scene, I do not know. I do not know how it fell from the truck. We did not have any sexual intercourse. We just went to the place that Rümeysa described as having a beautiful view. We took our camping chairs and sat down. The incident was an accident caused by the deceased and has nothing to do with me. I ran after the truck but could not catch up.”

'I DON'T USE DRUGS'

Tunay Aydın , who claimed that the police officer had beaten him, said, “I do not accept my statement in my second statement at the police station that ‘I wrapped the rope around his neck once and shook him.’ I gave such a statement because the police beat me and forced me. I had known Rümeysa for 3 months, we have been close for 1 month. We have met 10 times in 1 month, I do not use drugs, I do not know if Rümeysa uses drugs or not.”

The court decided to continue the defendant's detention and adjourned the hearing to a later date.