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Daily News (New York)
February 6, 2013 Wednesday
HORRIBLE END S.I. mom beaten until 'almost unrecognizable' in Istanbul
BY RICH SCHAPIRO in Istanbul NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
A MARRIED mother of two who was bludgeoned while on vacation was hit
in the skull with such force that she was almost "almost
unrecognizable," a person who viewed her body told the Daily News.
The brutal details emerged Tuesday after Sarai Sierra's body was
delivered to a morgue attached to a 19th-century Armenian church in
Istanbul's Beyoglu district.
"Her face was purplish black and very swollen," a worker at Surp
Yerrortutyun Church said of the Staten Island woman. "She's almost
unrecognizable."
Her body is expected to be returned to the United States Wednesday or
Thursday, church workers said. The arrangements are being handled by
the U.S. Consulate.
Sierra went missing Jan. 21, the day before she was expected to return
to the U.S. The 33-year-old amateur photographer had traveled alone to
Istanbul after a friend dropped out of the trip at the last minute.
Sierra's disappearance set off a massive police search, and her
husband, Steven Sierra, and brother, David Jimenez, flew to Istanbul
to aid investigators. But her body was found last Saturday dumped
along the ancient walls on the city's outskirts.
Sarai Sierra had fought for her life and was found wearing only a
shirt and underwear, a top police official told The News Tuesday.
"There were bruises on her body that looked like they were the result
of a struggle," said Ertan Ercikti, a district police chief, who added
that an initial autopsy report showed no signs of rape.
Sierra's gold earrings, necklace and bracelet remained on her body.
A security camera captured Sierra walking along a road in the Sirkeci
neighborhood, about a mile from the spot where her body was found. She
was carrying a purse, which investigators believed contained her iPad
and Samsung Galaxy phone. The electronics, which she used to take
pictures, have not been recovered.
Police said 21 people have been questioned - and prosecutors secured a
court order to take blood and saliva samples from them. Ercikti
acknowledged that investigators aren't close to an arrest.
"We are still looking for a motive," he said.
Steven Sierra, in his first interview since his wife's body was
discovered, told The News on Monday that he's heartbroken over her
death and fretting over how to deliver the news to their two sons -
ages 9 and 11.
Also Tuesday, Sierra's family announced that within 24 hours of
putting her photos up for sale, they raised enough to pay for a
funeral.
Thank you for all the support," her brother posted on a site dedicated
to selling her pictures, http://instacanv.as/memyself_sarai.
"From here on out any picture of hers that you purchase will NOT be
going towards her funeral. All funds will be going to her children."
February 6, 2013 Wednesday
HORRIBLE END S.I. mom beaten until 'almost unrecognizable' in Istanbul
BY RICH SCHAPIRO in Istanbul NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
A MARRIED mother of two who was bludgeoned while on vacation was hit
in the skull with such force that she was almost "almost
unrecognizable," a person who viewed her body told the Daily News.
The brutal details emerged Tuesday after Sarai Sierra's body was
delivered to a morgue attached to a 19th-century Armenian church in
Istanbul's Beyoglu district.
"Her face was purplish black and very swollen," a worker at Surp
Yerrortutyun Church said of the Staten Island woman. "She's almost
unrecognizable."
Her body is expected to be returned to the United States Wednesday or
Thursday, church workers said. The arrangements are being handled by
the U.S. Consulate.
Sierra went missing Jan. 21, the day before she was expected to return
to the U.S. The 33-year-old amateur photographer had traveled alone to
Istanbul after a friend dropped out of the trip at the last minute.
Sierra's disappearance set off a massive police search, and her
husband, Steven Sierra, and brother, David Jimenez, flew to Istanbul
to aid investigators. But her body was found last Saturday dumped
along the ancient walls on the city's outskirts.
Sarai Sierra had fought for her life and was found wearing only a
shirt and underwear, a top police official told The News Tuesday.
"There were bruises on her body that looked like they were the result
of a struggle," said Ertan Ercikti, a district police chief, who added
that an initial autopsy report showed no signs of rape.
Sierra's gold earrings, necklace and bracelet remained on her body.
A security camera captured Sierra walking along a road in the Sirkeci
neighborhood, about a mile from the spot where her body was found. She
was carrying a purse, which investigators believed contained her iPad
and Samsung Galaxy phone. The electronics, which she used to take
pictures, have not been recovered.
Police said 21 people have been questioned - and prosecutors secured a
court order to take blood and saliva samples from them. Ercikti
acknowledged that investigators aren't close to an arrest.
"We are still looking for a motive," he said.
Steven Sierra, in his first interview since his wife's body was
discovered, told The News on Monday that he's heartbroken over her
death and fretting over how to deliver the news to their two sons -
ages 9 and 11.
Also Tuesday, Sierra's family announced that within 24 hours of
putting her photos up for sale, they raised enough to pay for a
funeral.
Thank you for all the support," her brother posted on a site dedicated
to selling her pictures, http://instacanv.as/memyself_sarai.
"From here on out any picture of hers that you purchase will NOT be
going towards her funeral. All funds will be going to her children."