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Selin Yalin, a 40-year-old cosmetologist and cousin of the well-known Turkish singer Yalin, died in April 2024 under suspicious circumstances in her home in Istanbul.
While her boyfriend initially claimed her death was accidental or a suicide, forensic findings revealed that Selin was killed, prompting legal action and widespread attention.
Selin Yalin died from a gunshot wound to the head while at home with her 48-year-old boyfriend, contractor Omer Oktem.
After the incident, Oktem contacted Selin’s family, telling them she had committed suicide. When the police arrived, they found Selin lying on a couch with a gun in her hand.
During his initial interrogation, Oktem claimed the shooting was an accident. He told police, “The gun was on the coffee table. While I was placing it down, it accidentally fired.”
However, Oktem’s narrative later shifted, and he claimed that Selin had taken the gun and turned it on herself during an argument. He added, “I tried to stop her, but the gun went off.”
Investigators relied on forensic evidence to analyze the circumstances of Selin's death. The Council of Forensic Medicine concluded that the gunshot was fired from close range, consistent with intentional killing rather than an accident or suicide.
Prosecutors reviewing the case stated: “The firing distance, the characteristics of the weapon, and the location of the injury indicate that the suspect acted with intent to kill.”
The prosecutors also questioned Oktem’s behavior after the shooting. Instead of calling emergency services, he contacted Selin’s family. Oktem later justified his actions, claiming, "I was in shock and thought she was already dead.”
Oktem admitted he had touched the weapon after the shooting and left it near Selin. Authorities dismissed this as a deliberate attempt to mislead the investigation. They also noted that his inconsistent accounts undermined his credibility.
Selin’s family rejected Oktem’s claim that she took her own life. Her sister said, “My sister would not have committed suicide.
She was full of life and making plans for the future. She was supposed to go on a trip to Sapanca three days later. Someone looking forward to a vacation does not end their own life.”
The family also emphasized that Selin had no history of mental health struggles or behavior, suggesting she was capable of taking such an action.
Oktem is currently on trial, with prosecutors seeking a life sentence for the murder of Selin Yalin.
During court proceedings, Oktem claimed Selin often watched crime shows and was familiar with firearms because her father had owned a pistol.
He used these claims to argue that Selin could have acted impulsively, but the forensic evidence has cast significant doubt on his defense.
The court has adjourned the trial, and a new date has not yet been announced.
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