Influencer Ayşegül Eraslan's family criticized the ongoing investigation into her death
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On March 13, Eraslan, a 27-year-old Turkish content creator, was found dead inside her home
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In a statement obtained by the local outlet Sözcü, Eraslan's family's lawyer demanded that the police be more transparent in their investigation and claimed that they have evidence to suggest that she had been blackmailed with sexually explicit photos before her death
Influencer Ayşegül Eraslan's family is criticizing theongoing investigation into her death.
On March 13, Eraslan, a 27-year-old Turkish content creator, was found dead inside her home in Kağıthane, a municipality in northeastern Turkey, local outletsSözcüandCumhuriyetpreviously reported.
WhileSözcühas reported that police tapped forensic laboratories to review Eraslan's cellphone, various written notes in her home, and blood samples found on the knife that was allegedly used to kill Eraslan, the outlet also reported that Eraslan's family was unhappy with the investigation.
In a statement obtained by the outlet, the lawyer for Eraslan's family reportedly claimed that their legal team has evidence to suggest that the internet personality had been blackmailed with sexually explicit photos before her death. The lawyer also demanded that the police be more transparent in their investigation, perSözcü.
PEOPLE has reached out to Istanbul police for comment.
Eraslan had over 361,000 followers onInstagram, where she shared her outfits and photos from her world travels. She first entered the public eye when she appeared on the popular Turkish fashion competition showİşte Benim Stilim— which translates to “This Is My Style” — before launching her career as an influencer.
According to Sözcü, the influencer's relatives went to her home on March 13 after they were unable to contact her and then alerted authorities when nobody answered the door. Police entered and found her lifeless, and a medical team pronounced her dead at the scene.
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The Kağıthane Public Security Bureau later found that the internet personality returned home on March 11 following an Egypt trip and entered the building she lived in with her suitcase, Sözcü reported. Security footage reviewed by police allegedly showed actor Sunay Kurtuluș entering Eraslan's apartment an hour before her death, where he stayed briefly before leaving the building.
Cumhuriyet reported that police questioned Kurtuluș, who was then released after he gave his statement to authorities.
In a statementsharedto Instagram on March 15, lawyers for Kurtuluș said that he 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”, but he was “not at the scene of the incident at the time it occurred” and criticized news reports portraying him as the “primary party involved.”
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“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ayşegül Eraslan,” his lawyers continued. “We pray for God's mercy upon her and offer our condolences to her family, relatives, and loved ones.”
Kurtuluș's lawyers did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
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