"Betroth & Release": Groom and Relatives Slay Wedding Photographer, Thinking He Was Rich, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 31 July 2026)

 Bride left with just this after groom was caught and jailed.

Photographer Ferhat Açık was brutally murdered by the groom (!), Okan 

Kılıç, and his relatives, after taking their wedding photos. Açık was lured 

to a forest under the pretext of a photoshoot, but when he resisted those 

who tried to steal his car after discovering no money in his bank account, 

slit in the throat. All that remains is this wedding photo taken by Açık 

(above).

In Istanbul, Okan Kılıç (25) contacted photographer Ferhat Açık (21) to 

take photos at his wedding. During this time, Kılıç became close friends 

with Açık and continued their friendship after the wedding. Allegedly, in 

May, Okan Kılıç, his brother Rıdvan Kılıç (20), and their relative Poyraz 

Kaya (19) made their first attempt to kidnap Ferhat Açık and extort money 

from him. 

Troubled youth.

However (!), when Açık arrived with a friend, Okan Kılıç was unable to 

carry out the kidnapping. On July 12, Kılıç called Açık again and tricked 

him by saying, "We need to do a photoshoot in Arnavutköy, can you come 

and pick us up in your car?" Photographer Ferhat Açık picked up Okan 

and Rıdvan Kılıç and Poyraz Kaya in his own car and went to a wooded 

area in Arnavutköy.

Ferhat Açık was abducted here. Seeing that there was no money in his bank 

account, though, the suspects tried to transfer ownership of Açık's vehicle to 

themselves. Açık said he didn't have his ID with him. The suspects forced 

Ferhat Açık to call his brother, Habip Açık, and say, "Brother, I need my ID 

for the filming; Okan is coming, give him your ID." Following the ensuing 

commotion and shouting, the suspects stabbed Ferhat Açık eight times and 

slit his throat, killing him. The suspects buried Açık's body in the forest 

and fled.

This is the script for the horror film-style sequel.

Okan Kılıç sent a message from Ferhat Açık's phone to his brother, Habip 

Açık, saying, "I'm in trouble, I need to go abroad because of a matter of 

honor. Sell the car urgently and send the money to my account." The 

three suspects took Ferhat Açık's car and went to his brother Habip Açık 

to get his ID. A day later, when Okan Kılıç tried to transfer the vehicle to 

his own name, the notary clerks became suspicious, causing him to panic. 

He then left the notary and handed the car over to Habip Açık.

Supposedly rich photographer was just 21.

Habip Açık reported his brother missing. The suspects sold Ferhat Açık's 

cell phone to a phone shop in Esenyurt and fled to Van. Police, with the 

help of cadaver dog Zeyna, found Ferhat Açık's body in a wooded area in 

Arnavutköy on July 26th. Rıdvan Kılıç and Poyraz Kaya were apprehended 

in Van. Okan Kılıç was caught trying to escape to Iran during an operation 

in the border region. A total of five suspects, including two arrested in 

Istanbul, have been referred to the courthouse.