Missing for 17 years, Ebru Koyuncu buried in hometown

After 17 years as a missing person, Ebru Koyuncu has finally been laid to rest in her hometown of Manisa. Bone fragments discovered in February were conclusively identified as belonging to Koyuncu through DNA analysis at the Forensic Medicine Institute, allowing her family to claim her remains for burial.

The investigation into Koyuncu's disappearance was reopened in October 2025 when her mother filed a report. Under the coordination of the Manisa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, gendarmerie teams focused on a suspected familial homicide, examining phone records, witness testimonies, and conducting field research. A confidentiality order was placed on the case as the investigation intensified.

Following technical and physical surveillance, suspicion fell on Ufuk Köse, Koyuncu's former brother-in-law, who was found to have subjected her to abuse prior to her disappearance. Köse, along with Koyuncu's sister Fatma Koyuncu and two half-siblings, were targeted for arrest. Simultaneous operations in Kars, İzmir, and Manisa led to the apprehension of four suspects.

During interrogation, Ufuk Köse confessed to the murder and disclosed the location where he had hidden Ebru Koyuncu's body. Excavation work at a site in Armutlu Mahallesi, Kemalpaşa district of İzmir, uncovered bone and skull fragments identified as hers. Köse and Fatma Koyuncu were subsequently arrested and sent to prison on February 26, 2026, on charges of murder and complicity, respectively. The other two suspects were released after questioning.