Murder conviction in Seher Ö. cold case upheld – Federal Court of Justice dismisses appeal
The Federal Court of Justice has confirmed the life sentence against Hayati Ö. The 58-year-old murdered his ex-wife in Munich in 2000 and staged her death as suicide.
Federal Court confirms life sentence for husband who concealed murder for 26 years
The Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe has rejected the appeal by Hayati Ö., making the verdict from Munich Regional Court I legally binding: a life sentence for premeditated murder with base motives. According to reporting by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Munich court found the 58-year-old guilty in October 2025 of murdering his then wife Seher Ö. on the evening of 18 February 2000.
The case is considered one of the most high-profile cold cases in Bavarian criminal history. "One of the most important cases in my time as a homicide detective," said Helmut Eigner, a now retired criminal police officer who had never completely lost sight of the old case over decades.
Forced marriage at 15, escape after ten years of suffering
Seher Ö. was forced into marriage with her older cousin Hayati Ö. in Turkey at the age of 15. A year later, she was made to move to Munich to serve him and his family. "Like a maid, like a slave," judge Norbert Riedmann described the situation of the young woman in his verdict. She was not allowed to learn German, could not leave the flat, and her passport had been taken from her. She had contact with only a neighbour – who helped her flee to a women's shelter after ten years.
After her escape, Seher Ö. quickly found stability in a new life: her own flat, a job, a new relationship, and sole custody of her four children. When she filed for divorce, Hayati Ö. could not accept it. "My honour, my family's honour" – with these words he walked about the neighbourhood, judge Riedmann explained as the motive. The murder was committed with base motives: "It could not be more base than this."
The night of the crime: telephone cable torn from the wall
On the evening of 18 February 2000, there was a ring at the door of Seher Ö.'s flat, while she was on the phone to her boyfriend. "What do you want here?" she asked. A male voice answered – then the telephone cable was torn from the wall. Seher Ö. was strangled in the hallway and dragged into the children's room. There, the perpetrators hanged her corpse with a rope to a wardrobe to simulate suicide.
23 years at large – then a decisive confession
Hayati Ö. was briefly arrested after his wife's death, but had to be released due to insufficient evidence. It was not until 2023 that a witness approached investigator Eigner: the man stated that Hayati Ö. had confessed to the deed to him. He had not wanted to send a friend to prison and therefore remained silent for decades. Hayati Ö. was then arrested.
Chain of evidence convinced the court
The 2nd Criminal Chamber of Munich Regional Court I based the conviction on a series of circumstantial evidence: three hairs from Hayati Ö. were found next to the corpse of his ex-wife, although he claimed never to have been in her flat. Blue wool fibres from his clothing were found on her body during forensic examination. His alibi was contradicted by witness statements. Furthermore, his mother had his clothes washed immediately after that evening.
The circumstances of the corpse's discovery were also viewed as suspicious by the court: Hayati Ö.'s mother had collected the children on Friday evening. When they were to be brought back to the mother on Sunday, several relatives appeared. Not the grandmother brought the children upstairs as usual, but a friend. One of the children initially did not want to go – he was afraid. When someone called out "mum is lying dead in the room," all the adults remained downstairs. At that moment, Hayati Ö. said only to his children: "Now you are completely alone."
Possible accomplice not yet identified
Throughout the trial, Hayati Ö. said nothing about the charges – or about a possible accomplice. The jury chamber concluded that a second man strangled Seher Ö. while her husband held her or restrained her. This alleged accomplice has not been identified to this day.
"So the case is ultimately not fully resolved," said Helmut Eigner. The search for the second person involved in the crime now lies with his colleagues.
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung