A substantial reward of £10,000 is now on offer for information that leads to the capture of a fugitive suspected of carrying out a horrific and brutal murder in Essex. The charity Crimestoppers is pleading for the public's help to locate Ceyhan Dinler, 38, who is believed to have fled to Turkey after the killing of his alleged love rival, Cumali Turhan, 45.
A Feud That Ended in Torture and Death
The court has heard that Dinler is suspected of discovering that Mr Turhan was in a secret relationship with his girlfriend. This led to an "ongoing and simmering issue" between the two men. On 19 November 2024, the pair were captured on CCTV having a heated discussion in The Globe pub in Chelmsford. They were seen shaking hands before leaving together.
It is believed Dinler then lured Mr Turhan to the Barista bar on Duke Street, just a minute's walk from the local police station. In a sustained and vicious attack, Mr Turhan was tortured, mutilated, and fatally stabbed in the neck. Prosecutors state that the tip of his tongue and part of his genitals were cut off and dumped in a bin. Bruising indicated the mutilation occurred while he was still alive.
A Gruesome Discovery and a Seven-Year Sentence
Following a massive 47-day search, detectives found Mr Turhan's body at a landfill site in Colchester. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe of Essex Police said, "We stopped at nothing to find Cumali's body, so we could return him to his loved ones. And we are putting that same level of commitment into locating Ceyhan Dinler."
In October, Ciprian Ilie, 44, was jailed for seven years after being found guilty of assisting in the murder and preventing the lawful burial of Mr Turhan's body. Ilie helped place the father-of-two's body in a bin, which was later unknowingly collected by refuse workers.
An International Manhunt and a Plea for Anonymity
Despite extensive efforts, Dinler remains at large and is thought to be in his native Turkey. Phil Breckton, eastern regional manager at Crimestoppers, emphasised that anyone with information can contact the charity with a guarantee of total anonymity. "If you contact our charity to tell us where Dinler is located, no-one will ever know," he said. "Cumali Turhan's family in Turkey and here in the UK are desperate for answers and need justice."
The case was recently featured in a Channel 4 documentary, "Catching a Killer: Buried Truths", which aired the chilling CCTV footage. Detective Chief Inspector Metcalfe remarked on the grim nature of the discovery, stating, "Certainly not what I was expecting on a Saturday afternoon." Another detective noted the extreme violence, saying Dinler "has caused extreme pain to this person by torturing them."
The £10,000 reward offer from Crimestoppers will expire on 6 April. Information can be supplied anonymously via their dedicated channels.
