As the family of murdered Staten Island woman Sarai Sierra prepare for her funeral next week, the circumstances around her death remain a mystery. Sierra was killed while visiting Istanbul, Turkey, and investigators found DNA under her fingernails, but it hasn't matched the DNA of any of the 22 possible suspects. Further, Sierra was apparently seen with a man twice during her trip: "The witness told police he saw the man give Ms. Sierra a card of some sort as she left the mosque. Next, she 'took a walk' with him, as well as several other men, Turkish media reported."
Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two who worked part-time at a chiropractor's office, had become very passionate about photography—she posted many images on Instagram—and planned the trip with a friend. Though the friend had to drop out, Sierra traveled on her own, taking photographs; on the day she was supposed to leave, January 21, she met upwith a male Instagram user, who Turkish police identify as "Taylan." But she never got on the plane, and on February 2, her body was found in the "low-income district of Sarayburnu" by some ancient walls.
She apparently died of head trauma and was not wearing any pants. Turkish police told Sierra's husband that it did not seem that she had been sexually assaulted.
While "Taylan" had previously said they only met to take photographs, his lawyer later claimed he had sex in a bar's bathroom with Sierra. The lawyer said that Sierra e-emailed his client, "I’m coming to Turkey. Can we meet?"
There have been many rumors with Sierra's death—the FBI is reportedly investigating whether she had criminal ties and there's talk that she was killed by a professional hit man. In the meantime, a wake is being held next Thursday.
