The family of Turkish fashion influencer Ayşegül Eraslan has claimed she was blackmailed over sexually explicit photographs prior to her tragic death at the age of 27 on March 13. The media personality was discovered deceased inside her residence in Kağıthane by first responders after loved ones alerted authorities upon failing to establish contact with her.
Hasan Yilmaz, the lawyer representing the Eraslan family, alleged that they possess evidence indicating the influencer was being blackmailed concerning explicit images and had also received threats, as reported by the Turkish outlet Sözcü on Thursday. The family has submitted this evidence to the court. The suspects have been identified, though their statements have yet to be taken. Yilmaz further stated that the case should be handled by a special unit investigating suspicious deaths.
The attorney for the Eraslan family also insisted that investigators maintain openness and transparency with the public regarding the case. This development comes nearly two months after the media personality was found dead inside her home on March 13.
Eraslan was discovered by first responders after her relatives called authorities when she failed to answer the door at her residence, following attempts to contact her by phone, as reported by Turkish outlets Sözcü and Cumhuriyet at the time. Following a police review of the scene, medics at Eraslan's home pronounced her dead. After a public prosecutor examined the crime scene, her body was transported to a forensic medicine investigator.
Information provided by the Kağıthane Public Security Bureau indicated that Eraslan had returned home with a suitcase on March 11 following a visit to Egypt, according to Sözcü. Turkish actor Sunay Kurtuluş was observed in security footage reviewed by law enforcement, entering Eraslan's home approximately an hour before her death. He stayed for a short time before departing.
Kurtuluş was questioned by authorities and released after providing a statement, according to Cumhuriyet. His legal team stated on Instagram that the actor was 'only questioned as part of the investigation and has provided the necessary statements to the relevant authorities from the very beginning of the process.' They added that Kurtuluş was 'not at the scene of the incident at the time it occurred.' The statement continued, 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ayşegül Eraslan. We pray for God's mercy upon her and offer our condolences to her family, relatives, and loved ones.'
Fingerprints found at the scene were traced to three individuals, but it was later revealed that they belonged to members of Eraslan's family, Sözcü reported on Thursday. Mobile phones belonging to the influencer, as well as written notes, have been sent to forensic labs, per the Turkish publication Haberturk. Calls and messages are also being examined by expert teams. Analysis is ongoing regarding blood and biological evidence found on a knife allegedly used in the crime.
Eraslan had established herself as a force in the fashion world through the competition show İşte Benim Stilim. She had more than 361,000 followers on Instagram, where she identified herself as a fashion designer and linked to accounts promoting her businesses. She posted multiple photos of herself in various outfits and shared clips documenting trips to Egypt, Denmark, Sweden, and U.S. cities including Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, and Las Vegas. Many social media users posted memorials on her final post, with one user saying, 'I am very sorry for what [Eraslan] lived through and couldn't live through. This should not have been the end of a young person. Rest in peace.'
