Serhat Sönmez Sentenced to 39 Years for the Murder of Vietnamese National Dam Thi Hop

On January 6, 2019, a body wrapped in a blanket and carpet was found in a wooded area along the Ercan-Gaziköy highway. The body was identified as that of Dam Thi Hop, who had been reported missing on October 15, 2017. The autopsy confirmed that she had been murdered.

The investigation into the case intensified after a video recording, made by the defendant’s neighbor, was submitted to the police. The recording revealed conversations between Sönmez and his son about the murder. This led to the arrest of Sönmez, his son, and his mother, and an investigation was launched.

During the investigation, Sönmez initially denied involvement in the murder, but later confessed in his third statement, admitting to killing Hop. However, during the trial, he changed his statement, claiming that his mother was the one who committed the murder, while he was under police pressure during questioning.

In his third statement, Sönmez detailed that he had met Hop at a terminal and, after spending time together, they went to his house in Küçük Kaymaklı. He claimed that during an argument about money, Hop had attacked him with a knife, and in self-defense, he killed her. He further stated that he kicked her several times in the head with his boots. He then claimed that his mother and son tried to stop him, but they were unsuccessful. He, his mother, and his son then disposed of the body in the Ercan area.

Sönmez’s son confirmed the details in his own testimony, saying that he woke up to the sound of a woman screaming and saw his father stabbing Hop. He described being forced to help transport the body to a vehicle, where it was then disposed of in the Ercan area. The family later went to a restaurant in Kyrenia, where Sönmez used money from Hop’s handbag to pay for the meal.

The court also heard recordings from a neighbor, where Sönmez's son told his father that he only kills weak women and threatened to report him to the police. Sönmez, in response, said he would kill his son too, claiming to have killed 20 people.

The court found that Hop had suffered 33 stab wounds, 18 of which reached the bones. It was concluded that Sönmez's elderly mother could not have inflicted such severe injuries. The court determined that Sönmez’s confession was voluntary and that he killed Hop following a dispute over money.

Sönmez’s mother, Seçkin Sönmez, and his son, S.S., were also convicted for aiding the crime. However, Seçkin Sönmez died in prison due to COVID-19 before she could serve her sentence.

President Füsun Cemaller highlighted the brutal nature of the crime, emphasizing that Sönmez showed no remorse and continued to stab Hop despite her pleas. She stated that the murder was unacceptable and committed over a trivial matter. The court also noted that the crime remained undiscovered for a year and a half, causing immense suffering for Hop's family.

The court, recognizing the increasing number of murders, emphasized the need for deterrent and exemplary sentences. Sönmez was sentenced to 39 years in prison for the murder of Dam Thi Hop.