Sarai Sierra, 33, the woman who had gone missing while on vacation in Istanbul, has tragically been discovered dead after an intense two week search for her. The Staten Island, New York woman is a mother of two whose family said to CBS that they last heard from her on Jan. 21, the day she was supposed to fly back to New York City, but she failed to check into her flight.
The Daily Mail reported that the body of Sierra has been discovered in Istanbul on Saturday. The residents of the neighborhood found her body near ancient city walls in an impoverished area of Istanbul.
Police identified her body as Sierra through her drivers license and The Daily Mail reported that police have detained nine men and two women for questioning.
ABC News reported that an autopsy has been completed on Sierra and her body moved to a church in Istanbul. Officials ruled her death to be from at least one blow to the head and an autopsy report will officially rule the case of her death.
Earlier this week, Turkish police questioned a Turkish man who said that he was supposed to meet Sierra the day she disappeared but she never showed up. Fox News reported last week that the Turkish news have identified the man as "Taylan" who police say was set to meet Sierra at Galata Tower. "We did not meet that day, but we had met before," he said during his interrogation Fox News reports.
Police are now questioning and taking DNA samples from 21 people in the case in hopes to find a connection.
Sierra's was wearing the same outfit she was seen wearing in surveillance footage that was taken at a food court on the day that she dissaperaerd Istanbul Police Chief Huseyin Capkin said to ABC News.
Her body was then taken to a morgue to be identified by her husband, Steve Sierra who traveled to Istanbul with her brother, David Jimenez to aid in the search.
ABC News reported that when officials investigated the case further, they found out that she had left her clothes, passport, phone charges and medical cards in her room at a hostel in Beyoglu, Turkey.
"It was her first time outside of the United States, and every day while she was there she pretty much kept in contact with us, letting us know what she was up to, where she was going, whether it be through texting or whether it be through video chat, she was touching base with us," Steven Sierra, Sarai's husband, said to ABC News last week.
The U.S. State Department said on Sunday in a statement, "Out of respect for the family's privacy, we have no further comment," the State Department said in a statement. "We thank the Turkish government for all their efforts to locate Mrs. Sierra and we will remain in close contact with them as they continue their investigation."
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Sarai Sierra: New York Woman Missing in Istanbul, Turkey
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