Turkish police seeks missing German woman

ISTANBUL – Anadolu Agency

CİHAN photo

The Turkish police expanded its search to locate a German woman, identified as Rita Dan Winkler, who has been missing since arriving in Istanbul to meet her boyfriend on March 10. Allegations have been made that her boyfriend may be behind Winkler’s suspected murder. 

Initial reports suggest Winkler arrived in Istanbul over a month ago to meet her boyfriend, identified only with his initials A.K.S. Winkler went missing shortly after coming to Turkey and police have been unable to find any leads on her possible whereabouts.

The police decided to extend the search to Gölcük, a district of Kocaeli province near Istanbul, after allegations implicating A.K.S. murdered Winkler surfaced. The missing persons department was granted permission from the public prosecutor’s office to conduct excavations near A.K.S.’s family cemetery, vineyard house and offices in Gölcük in an attempt to find Winkler’s body.  

The digs are expected to begin shortly, in a joint effort by the missing persons department, crime scene investigation units and the district police department in Gölcük.