Turkish police detained 21 suspects in a coordinated operation to solve the death of 26-year-old Dorukhan Büyükışık [1], [2].
The arrests mark a significant escalation in a cold case that was originally dismissed as an accident. The investigation now suggests foul play was involved in the death of the young man, moving the case from a reported fall to a potential homicide.
Büyükışık died in 2018 at a construction site in the Narlıdere district of Izmir [1]. While the incident was initially ruled a fall, new evidence led prosecutors to reopen the case and seek the detention of those involved.
Security forces executed simultaneous raids across nine provinces [1]. The operation aimed to secure all suspects linked to the case and prevent any remaining individuals from escaping the jurisdiction of Turkish courts.
Among those detained was Ibrahim Kazmacı, the last remaining fugitive. Reports said Kazmacı was apprehended at the Kapıkule Border Gate while attempting to cross into Bulgaria [1]. Other reports said he was captured after having already fled the country [2].
Turkish prosecutors are now processing the 21 detainees to determine their specific roles in the 2018 incident [1]. The capture of Kazmacı removes the final obstacle for the state to bring all primary suspects before a judge.
“Turkish police detained 21 suspects in a coordinated operation”
The transition of this case from an accidental death to a criminal investigation reflects a broader trend of reopening cold cases when new forensic or witness evidence emerges. By capturing the final fugitive at the border, Turkish authorities have effectively closed the loop on the suspect list, shifting the legal process from a manhunt to the evidentiary phase of a trial.
