A chilling incident occurred around 03:30 AM on December 31, 2023, in the Gaziemir district of Izmir. A taxi driver, the father of two, Oğuz Erge (44), was attacked by his passenger, Delil Aysal, with a firearm. Hearing the gunshots, local residents alerted the authorities, and medical teams dispatched to the scene transported Erge by ambulance to Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital. Despite all efforts, Oğuz Erge could not be saved.
Vehicle camera footage revealed Delil Aysal pretending to take out money before pointing his gun at the taxi driver and firing three shots. The injured taxi driver slumped into the passenger seat and remained motionless. The footage also showed Aysal slapping the wounded driver, Erge, searching him and the vehicle, and then fleeing the scene.
During the investigation, footage from the taxi’s camera and nearly 80 nearby security cameras was reviewed. From the 110 hours of video analyzed, the suspect was identified as Delil Aysal and was apprehended at his residence.
The accused murderer, Delil Aysal, faced trial at the 10th High Criminal Court for “premeditated murder”, “aggravated robbery”, and “carrying an unlicensed weapon”, with a demand for an aggravated life sentence. The trial was attended by the defendant and his lawyers, as well as relatives of the taxi driver, Oğuz Erge.
In his defense, Delil Aysal acknowledged the camera footage but denied the audio recordings, claiming they were manipulated. He also stated that he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol on the night of the incident and expressed regret.
Besides the defendant’s statement, the court heard from Oğuz Erge’s daughter, N.E., who testified that she was called from her father’s phone, indicating he was in an urgent situation and needed help. Oğuz Erge’s ex-wife, N.K., also made a statement, mentioning that despite their divorce, he provided for their children and that they were pressing charges against the accused.
Delil Aysal’s lawyer requested an examination to determine his client’s criminal responsibility, stating that he had previously received treatment. They also applied for the defendant to be tried without detention.
The court ordered a report from the Manisa Mental Health and Diseases Hospital to determine Delil Aysal’s criminal responsibility and decided to bring the other defendants to the next hearing by force, postponing the trial to March 8, 2024.
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