In Istanbul's Maltepe district, the murder of 36-year-old Uzbek citizen Hurriyat Tursunboyeva, who was reported missing by her sister in 2019, has been uncovered by a special police group. According to NTV television, the investigation revealed that the woman was killed by her husband, and her body was stored in their home for a month before being discarded in a waste container. The case emerged during a re-examination of the missing persons report filed by the victim's sister, Sevara Zakhidova.
The special team, formed to deepen the probe, interviewed neighbors who stated that the husband, 37-year-old Ersin Y., claimed Tursunboyeva had been deported. Neighbors also reported foul odors from the apartment, which Ersin Y. attributed to pigeon breeding. Checks confirmed no record of the woman leaving the country, and her mobile phone was active in Turkey during that period.
Suspect Ersin Y. had filed for divorce shortly after the missing persons report, and due to no response over five years, the divorce was finalized in 2024. It was also discovered that he used the personal identification documents of his friend, Anil Y., for travel and that the couple's SIM cards were replaced after the disappearance.
With prosecutor authorization, a luminol examination conducted at the couple's home detected blood traces in the kitchen and on parts of the balcony. Luminol is a chemical used in forensics to identify blood evidence, even if cleaned or aged, enabling investigators to uncover hidden clues.
On March 9, 2026, Ersin Y. was apprehended upon entering Turkey from Georgia via the "Sarp" border crossing. During interrogation, he confessed to killing his wife with a stick blow to the head during a kitchen argument, storing the body on the balcony, and later dismembering it before disposing of it in a waste container 50 meters away. He added that he attempted to mask the smell by applying lime to the body.
The second suspect, Anil Y., claimed no knowledge of the murder, stating he only lent his passport to his friend and assisted in taking the children to a bus terminal. Following police procedures, Ersin Y. was remanded in custody, while Anil Y. was released under judicial supervision. No official statement has been issued by Uzbek authorities regarding this incident.
Source: www.gazeta.uz