Rent dispute leads to murder in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district

A 64-year-old man, Agop Değirmencioğlu, was found murdered in his Beyoğlu apartment on August 7. Police were alerted to the scene after neighbors reported foul odors emanating from the residence.

Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered Değirmencioğlu's body, which showed signs of fatal stab wounds to the neck. Initial investigations by forensic teams confirmed the nature of the injuries. The body was subsequently transported to the Forensic Medicine Institute for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

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I found him lying motionless.

During the investigation, police identified Mehmet Ş.T., a 45-year-old tenant in the building and one of the last individuals to see Değirmencioğlu, as a person of interest. Mehmet Ş.T.'s initial statement claimed he found the victim motionless upon entering the apartment. However, inconsistencies in his account raised suspicions among the investigators.

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We had a dispute over rent. I was subjected to severe insults. I stabbed Agop Değirmencioğlu and killed him.

Faced with mounting evidence and contradictions, police detained Mehmet Ş.T. During further questioning at the police station, he confessed to the murder. The suspect stated that a dispute over rent had escalated, leading him to fatally stab Değirmencioğlu.

Following his confession, Mehmet Ş.T. was transferred to the courthouse and subsequently arrested and sent to prison on charges of intentional homicide. Neighbors described Değirmencioğlu as a kind and generous man who had taken in Mehmet Ş.T. as a tenant, reportedly not charging him rent and offering financial and emotional support. The motive appears to have stemmed from a disagreement over payments, a tragic end for a man known for his kindness.

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For nearly 30 years I've been in Tarlabaşı. Agop was my neighbor, I've known him for 30-35 years. He was a very good person, he didn't harm anyone. He took in a man, as a tenant. He wasn't charging rent, he was helping him financially and emotionally. Apparently, he killed him for money. Agop was well-off. He lived in this dilapidated building, but he couldn't leave because he grew up here. Then, whatever happened, he killed him and two days later he calls the police himself, saying there were bad smells in the building. Where were you for two days? Didn't you go in and out of the building? He was killed on the stairs, not inside the house, in the corridor. When they called, he had cuts on his hands, bloodstains, and he called the police. During the police investigation, he confesses. He admits to killing him. It's a shame. People don't kill for money. There are no words for this.