Prisoner on day launch in Turkey shoots lifeless his mom, spouse and daughter

A prisoner on day release from a Turkish prison shot his wife, daughter and mother dead before taking his own life.

Recep Cengiz, 35, was on an 11-day period of leave from a prison in Ankara, where he was serving a four-year sentence for fraud and armed threats, according to Turkish media. 

Upon his temporary release, he travelled to the Kuşcağız neighbourhood of the Turkish capital and confronted his mother, 57-year-old Azize Cengiz, and his eight-year-old daughter Azra on Monday, according to Haberler. 

After getting into an argument with them, he reportedly shot and killed them, before stuffing their bodies into the boot of his car. 

Cengiz then travelled to the home of his estranged wife, Beyzanur Uçan Cengiz. 

After disguising himself as a courier, he shot her dead in her doorway. 

The prisoner is said to have then turned the gun on himself. 

It is not currently known why the tragedy unfolded. A police investigation into the matter is ongoing. 

Following the tragedy, it was revealed that Recep was initially held in a closed prison before being transferred to an open prison. 

Upon his temporary release, the prisoner travelled to the Kuşcağız neighbourhood (pictured) of the Turkish capital and confronted his mother and daughter 

He is also understood to have damaged the electrics at his wife’s home in an apparent attempt to avoid being seen on CCTV.

The tragedy sparked fury from feminist groups, who decried the killings. 

The Women’s Solidarity Committees wrote on X: ‘Last year, six women were killed by inmates who escaped prison or were out on temporary release.

‘The justice and interior ministers said nothing and nobody was held responsible! And today, another inmate has again sowed terror.’

Turkish advocacy group We Will Stop Femicides also denounced the murders and called a protest in Ankara on Tuesday night.

Figures from the group show that in 2025, 294 women were killed by men and 297 women were found dead under suspicious circumstances, according to AFP. 

Of those killed, 35 percent were murdered by their husbands, and 57 percent were killed with a firearm.