Turkish man sentenced to life in prison for murdering, decapitating lover

Demirahan admitted that he had killed Denis and cut up her body, but has claimed that the killing was in self-defense after she attacked him.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Updated: MARCH 7, 2016 00:25
Gavel [Illustrative] (photo credit: INIMAGE)
Gavel [Illustrative]
(photo credit: INIMAGE)
The Tel Aviv District Court on Sunday sentenced a Turkish man to life in prison for murdering and decapitating his lover during a fight over money in their apartment in Tel Aviv.
Idan Demirahan murdered Ilona Denis by striking her with a hammer on August 3, 2013, after the two had been a couple, including living together since August 2012.
The court also ordered Demirahan to pay a NIS 258,000 fine to Denis’s young adult daughter as compensation for losing her mother, though he had argued that he has limited financial means and would be unable to pay a large fine.
Demirahan had been covering most of their joint rent and had lent money to Denis, but wanted her to pay him back or start paying rent.
Denis collapsed after being struck with a hammer. Demirahan remained with her smoking cigarettes for an hour until she died.
After that, he decapitated her and cut up her corpse, dumping various garbage bags stuffed with body parts throughout Tel Aviv, including one he placed a garbage can near the Hagana Train Station.
Despite the mutilation of her body, Denis was quickly identified through DNA testing.
Demirahan was arrested three days later while making arrangements to flee to Turkey.
He admitted killing Denis and cutting up her body, but claimed that the murder was committed in self-defense after she attacked him.
In addition, he said that he mutilated her body and tried to cover up her death because he did not think that the police would believe him that she had first attacked him with a hammer and a knife before he killed her.
The fine was notable since Denis’ daughter is grown-up and was not dependent financially on her mother.
However, the court noted that the law on the issue says that the fine is a question of values, justice and compensating for emotional harm rather than a mathematical calculation.