Turkish Man Gets Life in Prison for Killing Staten Island Mom on Vacation

A Turkish court has sentenced a man to life in prison for killing a Staten Island woman in Istanbul last year.

The Istanbul court on Tuesday additionally sentenced 47-year-old Ziya Tasali to eight years in prison for sexual assault and theft.

Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was found dead in January 2013 amid Istanbul's ancient city walls, days after her family reported her missing during a solo vacation in the city.

Tasali, a scrap-paper collector, has been on trial for Sierra's death since September.

Sierra had traveled to Turkey to explore her hobby of photography. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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