THE BEREAVED family of murder victim Marion Graham flew back to Belfast yesterday as preparations continue to bring home her remains and those of her friend Kathy Dinsmore.
Shannon Graham (15), whose Turkish boyfriend, Recep Cetin, is suspected of stabbing the 53-year-old friends in a wooded park near Izmir last Thursday, arrived back at Belfast International Airport yesterday evening. She was accompanied by her father, Raymond McGuinness, and his son, David, who had formally identified the two women for police.
After disembarking from the charter flight from Dalaman in Turkey, they were met by family members who brought them home to Co Down.
The nephew and niece of Ms Dinsmore, Robert and Ruby, also flew to Turkey to assist with the repatriation of the bodies.
The two families and their friends are now awaiting the return of the remains of Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore, whose bodies were yesterday released from the mortuary in Izmir.
The women, who lived in Newry, had Irish passports and their families are being assisted by officials from the Irish Embassy in Turkey. A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the earliest the bodies could be returned to Northern Ireland would be tomorrow. It is hoped that the funerals of the two women can take place this week.
Mr Cetin, the main suspect, is said to have confessed to the murders to Turkish police, who are working on the theory that he killed the women because Marion Graham would not permit him to marry her daughter.
Mr Cetin’s father and a taxi driver who drove Mr Cetin and Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore to the wooded area where they were murdered were also arrested but later released.
Turkish police are still trying to determine if Mr Cetin is 17, as he claims, or if he is older. Were he to be convicted, his age could be a significant determining factor in how long he could serve in prison. He could be sentenced for up to 72 years were he convicted as an adult offender, it is understood.
Mr Cetin is reported to have shared an apartment with the murdered women and Shannon Graham in the tourist resort of Kusadasi, about 120km (75 miles) from Izmir. It is believed he persuaded the two women to take a taxi trip with him to Izmir last Thursday while Shannon was on a boating trip.
She became alarmed when they did not return to the apartment, and alerted police. When initially questioned, Mr Cetin is said to have told police that the women were abducted by a gang and that he suffered a cut to his hand while trying to defend them.
However, he subsequently confessed to the double killing, according to reports in Turkey.
It was also reported in Turkey yesterday that Mr Cetin had a heated row with Ms Graham last week after she threatened to bring Shannon home to Ireland because of her disapproval of the relationship. He had hoped to marry Shannon and to go to Northern Ireland with her.
Mr McGuinness, former husband of Ms Graham, said before returning to Northern Ireland that he had been suspicious of Mr Cetin and believed his intentions were mercenary.
Meanwhile, Newry and Mourne District Council has opened books of condolence in memory of Ms Dinsmore and Ms Graham in Newry, Warrenpoint, Kilkeel and Crossmaglen. Ms Dinsmore had previously worked for Newry and Mourne District Council. She had also worked for a taxi company in Newry towards the end of last year.
