Wedding photographer murdered, buried in forest by groom and accomplices

A wedding photographer, Ferhat Açık, was murdered and his body buried in a forest in Arnavutköy, Istanbul, according to new details emerging from the investigation. Açık was allegedly lured to the remote location by Okan K., the groom from a wedding he had photographed two months prior, along with his brother Rıdvan K., and a friend, Poyraz K.

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I met Ferhat when he took our wedding photos. He had a car at a very young age. We thought he was rich and planned to take his money. We tried to kidnap him a month ago, but we couldn't carry out our plan because he came to the meeting place with his friends.

The investigation began after Açık's brother, Habib Açık, reported him missing on July 13. Police traced Ferhat Açık's phone signal to a vacant area in Arnavutköy. A search involving drones and a sniffer dog named "Zeyna" led to the discovery of Açık's body. Initial findings indicated he had been stabbed eight times and his throat was cut.

Authorities tracked the suspects to Van, where they were attempting to flee towards the Iranian border. Okan K. was apprehended in a field with drone support, while Poyraz K. and Rıdvan K. were arrested in Van and Başkale, respectively. Four additional individuals were detained in Istanbul for allegedly aiding and abetting the suspects, bringing the total number of arrests to seven.

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After learning that Ferhat was going to take pictures of one of his relatives, we made a plan again. We told him we didn't have a car and asked him to take us with him. When Açık accepted the offer, we set off towards Arnavutköy together. He asked Açık to take his picture in a place with a nice view on the roadside, and while Açık was taking pictures, the other suspects attacked him from behind and neutralized him.

During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to the murder, claiming they planned it after believing Açık was wealthy due to his car. When they couldn't find money in his bank accounts, they allegedly tried to steal his vehicle. They lured Açık by asking him to photograph a relative, then attacked him while he was taking pictures in a scenic spot.

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When we couldn't find money, we tried to take his car.