Man Sentenced to Up to 25 Years in Prison for Murder of Music Teacher in Fatih 19 Years Ago
New Evidence Leads to Arrests in a Murder Case from 19 Years Ago
In a shocking turn of events, the murder case of Arzu Nihal Çelik has been illuminated with new information. Erkan Can, who pulled the trigger in the incident, walked into the police station on September 26, 2022, and confessed to his crime. Can revealed that he and his friend, Ceyhan Özmaden, committed the act under the instigation of the deceased woman’s husband.
Further inquiry into the matter confirmed that the alleged mastermind behind the murder, Şerafettin Çelik, passed away in 2019. Following their arrest, Can and Özmaden appeared before the Istanbul 3rd High Criminal Court for their third hearing.
During the trial, the prosecutor presented their opinion on the case. According to the prosecutor, the defendants entered into the conspiracy upon the request of Şerafettin Çelik. They acquired a firearm in Tekirdağ and traveled to Istanbul, where they stayed in a hotel for a night. The following day, they went to Arzu Nihan Çelik’s house and fled the scene after committing the act. The prosecutor argued that the defendants had designed the crime together as co-perpetrators. Considering that the instigator had already been unveiled, the prosecutor requested a sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison for Can and Özmaden for intentionally and premeditatedly killing the victim.
During the proceedings, Can declared that he turned himself in voluntarily. He stated, “The indictment points directly at me, but it was me who brought this case to your attention with the truth. I first met the co-defendant, Ceyhan Özmaden, in the early 2000s when he told me that ‘a brother’s wife was too social’.”
Özmaden, on the other hand, maintained his innocence and argued, “In the previous hearing, I stated that I did not go upstairs. This was an honor killing, and I would never accept such an offer.” The defense lawyers requested additional time to prepare their final defense.
Meanwhile, the court decided to continue detaining the defendants and granted them time to organize their final defense. The trial was adjourned.
The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, shed light on the motive behind the crime. It revealed that Şerafettin Çelik suspected his wife, Arzu Nihan Çelik, of having an affair with his own brother while he was serving time for unrelated offenses. Consequently, he sought to eliminate his wife, enlisting the help of Can and Özmaden, with whom he had shared time in prison. The indictment further mentioned that the defendants accepted the offer, traveled to Istanbul with an unidentified murder weapon, stayed in a hotel in Fatih, and ultimately carried out the act on May 5, 2004. Afterward, they fled the scene and disposed of the weapon in the Marmara Sea aboard a ferry.
It is worth noting that Şerafettin Çelik, the alleged instigator of the crime, had already passed away in 2019. The indictment called for Can and Özmaden to be sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison for the charge of deliberate and premeditated murder.
As the defendants now have time to prepare their final defense, the trial will continue to uncover the truth behind this tragic event that unfolded almost two decades ago.
