Brother alleges murder in British tourist’s death in Turkey

The brother of a 20-year-old British tourist, Tyler Kerry, from Basildon, Essex, has asserted that his sibling was murdered after being found deceased in a lift shaft in Turkey. Mr. Kerry was located on Friday morning at the Trendy Lara Hotel in Antalya. Mason Read, Mr. Kerry’s younger brother and one of those who discovered him unresponsive, stated his “100%” conviction that Mr. Kerry was killed by another individual. The BBC has reached out to Turkish police regarding this matter. Mr. Kerry had arrived in Turkey on November 27 with his grandparents, girlfriend Molly, and other family members. In the early hours of Friday, while a group of them were having drinks at the hotel bar, Mr. Kerry, a labourer who had been sleeping on a sofa, disappeared. Mr. Read recounted finding his brother fatally wounded at the base of the lift shaft in the hotel’s basement following a frantic search. The 18-year-old informed the BBC, “Molly ran over, dropped to her knees and just started screaming ‘Tyler, get up’.” He added, “It was heart-wrenching, heartbreaking. I never, ever thought I would see anything like that in my entire life.” and “To the day I die I’m never going to be able to take my mind off it.” Mr. Read stated that during the search efforts, Mr. Kerry’s vape device, stained with blood, was located on the first floor of the hotel. The family had previously mentioned that he was found “flat on his face” dressed only in boxers and socks. Mr. Read expressed his conviction that law enforcement ought to be investigating his brother’s demise as a murder. He declared, “My brother’s been killed, 100%,” adding, “I want to see justice for my boy.” He continued, “It’s killing me sitting here thinking of everything that could’ve happened to him.” and “Me and the family, we can’t cope just living in the dark. We need to know now.” Collette Kerry, the grandmother of the siblings, informed the BBC that authorities are considering Mr. Kerry’s death to be suspicious. She had arranged the holiday in February as a “treat” since none of her grandchildren had previously traveled abroad for a vacation. Nevertheless, on the second evening of their trip, the 56-year-old and her husband, Ray, were roused by knocking at their door and informed of Mr. Kerry’s passing. She remarked, “It was a family holiday of a lifetime for us that turned into a nightmare.” A spokesperson for the hotel stated that the staff would persist in supporting the family during this “incredibly difficult time.” The spokesperson conveyed “heartfelt condolences” and further commented: “As this is a police investigation we are unable to comment further.” For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.