New Details Emerge in 2016 Murder of Dancer Aynur Kanbur; Relative Confesses

Turkish authorities have made a significant breakthrough in the 2016 murder of Aynur Kanbur, a 49-year-old member of the popular dance group "Mezdeke." Kanbur was shot and killed outside her apartment building in Istanbul's Şişli district on March 24, 2016. Despite extensive investigation, the empty shell casings found at the scene did not initially match any known weapons.

In 2017, Kanbur's sister filed a complaint, leading to an investigation into relatives Fazlı K., Serdar K., and Yüksel K., who allegedly had threatened Kanbur for being a dancer. Their phone records were examined. The case was reopened following the establishment of a special unit within the Ministry of Justice to investigate unsolved crimes.

A dedicated six-person team from the Istanbul Police Department's Homicide Bureau spent over 4,000 hours reviewing security camera footage. Their painstaking work, including analyzing footage in slow motion, identified a suspect wearing a hat. Police traced his movements from the Avcılar Metrobus Station to Mecidiyeköy, leading them to examine 1,700 men aged 16-50 who had used their public transport cards in the area.

This investigation led police to Bülent G., identified as a relative of Aynur Kanbur, whose movements matched the suspect's profile. Bülent G. reportedly confessed to the murder, telling investigators that years of ridicule directed at his family due to Kanbur's profession as a dancer had become unbearable. He stated, "People had been mocking us for years because she was a dancer. I couldn't stand it anymore and decided to kill her." Arrest warrants were issued for Bülent G. and relatives Fazlı K. and Serdar K., who are accused of inciting the murder. All three suspects have been apprehended.