"Beat & Release": Fugitive "Eagle" Found Hiding in Suitcase, Sent to Prison Cage, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 July 2025)

                 Tough to spread one's wings inside.

In Güngören district of Istanbul, Şenol Kartal (whose surname

means "eagle") and Reşit Ayten argued over money and a girl,

prompting Kartal to shoot Ayten dead on Mareşal Fevzi Çakmak

boulevard on the night of 12 March. 

Police set about tracking down Kartal, who has a police record

of 19 crimes and 4 warrants for his arrest (!).  (Victim Ayten was

more accomplished, with 20 crimes and 12 warrants.)  In any 

case,  the search for Kartal led police to an address in Esenyurt

district on 27 June, but the suspect could not be found. 

However (!),  with a more intensive search, police discovered 

Kartal hiding in a suitcase atop a closet.  The search also

yielded  an AK-47 charger, 3 unlicensed 9mm revolvers, 23

7.62 bullets and an amount of illegal drugs. 

In his statement to police, Kartal "explained" that "I met with

Reşit to chat.  He shot at me, but missed. Then I shot him."

Kartal has been sent to prison.