Turkey lift shaft death family trying to investigate themselves

Tyler Kerry spent nine months getting excited for his first family holiday. But less than 36 hours after landing in Turkey, he was found dead at the bottom of a hotel lift shaft. In spite of what police have said, his family believe he was murdered and are trying to investigate themselves.

Mr Kerry arrived in Antalya with his grandparents, girlfriend Molly and other relatives on 27 November.

The 20-year-old had been enjoying everything the resort in Antalya had to offer, lounging by the pool, having drinks with family and making new friends.

Mason Read, his brother, was the last person to see him alive in the early hours of 29 November.

He said a group of them were drinking in the lounge area before spending about 10 minutes in a nightclub within the hotel.

They returned to the lounge area on the ground floor, where Mr Kerry was last seen by his brother taking off his jacket, T-shirt and shoes and going to sleep on a sofa.

“I went to the bar to get a drink came back and Tyler was not there, his clothes were but his phone wasn’t,” Mr Read explained.

A panicked search throughout the hotel ensued and Mr Read, plus Mr Kerry’s girlfriend, found him fatally injured at the bottom of the lift shaft.

They said hotel staff pointed to the shaft when asked if they had seen someone matching Mr Kerry’s appearance.

After he was found, his trousers and a blood-covered vape were found on the first floor of the hotel.

In the week since Mr Kerry’s death, the family have found themselves bagging up what they consider to be potential evidence, which they hope will be examined by British police.

This includes his trousers and bloodied vape.

The family also took photos at the hotel of all nearby CCTV cameras and believe some footage has not been reviewed.

They said they collected statements and phone numbers from fellow guests and potential witnesses, who they claim have not been spoken to by police.

Mrs Kerry said: “In our country, every bit of evidence would have been taken from the crime scene.

“You wouldn’t have been able to touch that place until forensics had been through it.

“But a couple of hours later, I’m told the lift has been cleaned and is up and running.”

Mr Kerry’s aunt, Naomi Kerry, said: “It’s so hard for [the family, they’re] going to be living with it for a long time now.

“They have got to do so much digging and can’t grieve.”

The family have contacted Essex Police to ask the force to look at the case.

Mrs Kerry said: “This isn’t just about my grandson, I don’t want anyone else going through this.

“It’s all taking its toll, it’s hard. Someone needs to step up and do a job, it shouldn’t be down to us and social media.”

His family have vowed to “non-stop fight for justice”.

Mr Read and a fellow guest said they felt hotel staff were inappropriate in how they handled the aftermath of Mr Kerry’s body being found.

Boards brought out to shield the area were covered in Halloween decorations, including ones that had “blood dripping down”, Mr Read described.

“It was like they were taking the mick,” he explained.

A guest at the hotel told the BBC she also saw the bloody decorations on the board which she felt were inappropriate.

Tyler’s grandmother, Collette Kerry, said she was “absolutely disgusted” by the police investigation and conclusion.

In a statement, the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey said it had investigated the case “meticulously” and described Mr Kerry as having fallen from a height.

“There was no proof of firearm or sharp object injuries, there were broken parts – thought as they were owing to the falling down – and intense blood congestion on the head was observed,” a spokesperson said.

“According to the statements, Mr Kerry went to the club at night and was under the influence of alcohol, died falling down from the first floor.”

They said there was no evidence of “intervention” on his body.

However, his family believe key evidence was not collected and that Mr Kerry was murdered.

The bloodied vape and Tyler’s trousers were not collected by police, and were instead given to the family – they said.

Mr Read said the investigation had been “pitiful” and police needed to do more.

“It’s killing me sitting here thinking of all the things that could have happened to him,” he said.

The family said they were told by other guests that the hotel cleaned up the area around the lift shaft, including blood, and had the lift back in operation within hours of Mr Kerry’s body being found.

They are concerned potential evidence was lost as a result.

A final autopsy result was expected in two months’ time, Turkish authorities said.