Turkey lift shaft victim was murdered, says brother

A 20-year-old British tourist found dead in a lift shaft in Turkey was murdered, his brother has claimed.

Tyler Kerry, from Basildon, Essex, was discovered on Friday morning at the Trendy Lara Hotel in Antalya.

Younger sibling Mason Read, who was one of the people who found him unresponsive, said he was “100%” convinced Mr Kerry was killed by someone.

The BBC has contacted Turkish police for comment.

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

A group of them were enjoying a drink at the hotel bar in the early hours of Friday when the labourer, who had fallen asleep on a sofa, vanished.

Mr Read said he found his brother fatally injured at the bottom of the lift shaft in the hotel basement during a panicked search.

“Molly ran over, dropped to her knees and just started screaming ‘Tyler, get up’,” the 18-year-old told the BBC.

“It was heart-wrenching, heartbreaking. I never, ever thought I would see anything like that in my entire life.

“To the day I die I’m never going to be able to take my mind off it.”

During searches, Mr Kerry’s vape was found covered in blood on the hotel’s first floor – Mr Read said.

He was discovered “flat on his face” wearing just a pair of boxers and socks, the family previously said.

Mr Read said he believed the police should be treating his brother’s death as a murder investigation.

“My brother’s been killed, 100%,” he said. “I want to see justice for my boy.

“It’s killing me sitting here thinking of everything that could’ve happened to him.

“Me and the family, we can’t cope just living in the dark. We need to know now.”

The pair’s grandmother, Collette Kerry, told the BBC that police were treating Mr Kerry’s death as suspicious.

She booked the holiday in February as a “treat” because none of her grandchildren had ever holidayed abroad.

However, on the second night of the trip, the 56-year-old and her husband, Ray, were awoken by banging on the door to inform them of Mr Kerry’s death.

“It was a family holiday of a lifetime for us that turned into a nightmare,” she added.

A spokesman for the hotel said staff would continue to support the family through the “incredibly difficult time”.

He shared his “heartfelt condolences” and added: “As this is a police investigation we are unable to comment further.”