Turkish man stabbed mother, sister to death in Dallas

A 20-year-old Turkish-American man living in Allen, a northern suburb of Dallas, has been arrested while awaiting an airline flight out of Texas state and charged with capital murder in the deaths of his mother and sister.

Security units nabbed Burak Hezar on April 25 at DWF International Airport, where he was scheduled to board a flight to San Fransisco, where his father, Rahmi Hezar, lives.

In response to a call for a “disturbance with weapons involved,” police officials arrived at Hezar’s house in Allen on April 24 and found 51-year-old Işıl Borat and 17-year-old Burcu Hezar stabbed to death.

Police identified Burak Hezar as a prime suspect for fleeing from his home.

Police officials immediately initiated efforts to track down the suspect. They found that the suspect’s father had purchased a flight ticket for his son, following which security units raided the airport on early April 25 and took Burak Hezar into custody.

The motive behind the murders is under investigation as a police officer said that the father “did not appear to know what had happened.”

Police also questioned the suspect’s stepfather, who was said to be at home at the time of the killings.

Burak Hezar was being held in jail on one count of capital murder, with a bail set at $2 million.

Islamic Association of North Texas held a funeral service for the mother and daughter on April 27 at a local mosque.

Turkish American Association of North Texas, TURANT, also made a statement regarding the murders on April 26.

Talking about Işıl Borat, Erdal Sipahi, the president of TURANT, tweeted, “I’m saddened. I know people that know the mother. A lot of ladies that I talked to in our community that know her are saddened by this. Tragic loss, in this fashion, is very, very disheartening.”