Semra Aysal: A Pregnancy, a Photograph, and a Fatal Fall in Butterfly Valley

A smiling photo on a cliffside became the last image of a woman seven months pregnant. Hours later, she was gone.

The Setting

On June 19, 2018, Semra Aysal and her husband, Hakan Aysal, were visiting Butterfly Valley near Fethiye in southwestern Turkey. The area is known for its dramatic cliffs, steep drops, and panoramic views. It is also known for being dangerous.

That day, the couple posed together near the edge of a cliff estimated at roughly 300 meters high. In photographs taken shortly before her death, Semra appears calm, smiling, and unaware that the moment would become her final one.

Semra was 32 years old. She was approximately seven months pregnant with her first child.

Illustrated sketch based on a real photograph. Not an original image.

What Happened at the Cliff

According to findings later presented in court, Hakan Aysal encouraged Semra to move closer to the edge of the cliff under the pretense of taking photographs together.

Prosecutors stated that Semra had a known fear of heights, a detail that raised questions about whether she would have willingly stood so close to such a steep drop without reassurance. Shortly after the photographs were taken, Semra fell from the cliff.

Emergency services were contacted, and search and rescue teams later recovered her body at the base of the valley. Her unborn child did not survive.

Hakan Aysal initially told authorities that his wife had fallen accidentally.

Witness Accounts and Behavior After the Fall

Investigators were not relying on speculation alone. Several witness accounts helped shape the early direction of the case.

One witness, Recep Sahin, later came forward after seeing media coverage of the incident. Sahin testified that he had been at Butterfly Valley with his family on the same day and had recorded video of the area shortly before Semra Aysal fell. In his statement, he said he observed the couple standing near the cliff edge and recalled commenting to his family about how dangerous the location appeared. His footage placed the couple at the overlook shortly before the incident and helped establish their position and behavior leading up to the fall.

Another witness, described in court records as a passing driver, encountered Hakan Aysal immediately after the incident. According to testimony, Hakan flagged the driver down and stated that his wife had fallen from the cliff. The driver, along with others, attempted to search the area below. Witnesses later stated that Hakan did not actively participate in the search efforts, remaining behind while others looked over the edge and called out.

Multiple witnesses described his demeanor during this time as unusually calm given the circumstances. This behavior was later referenced by prosecutors and family members as inconsistent with someone who had just witnessed a sudden and tragic accident involving a pregnant spouse.

While no witness directly saw Semra pushed from the cliff, their accounts were used to corroborate the timeline, location, and Hakan Aysal’s actions immediately before and after the fall. Combined with photographic evidence and financial records, these statements contributed to investigators’ conclusion that the incident warranted criminal scrutiny rather than being treated as an accidental death.

Financial Motive and Insurance

Investigators discovered that Hakan Aysal had taken out a personal accident insurance policy on Semra shortly before their trip.

The policy named him as the sole beneficiary and was valued at approximately 400,000 Turkish lira at the time.

After Semra’s death, Hakan attempted to collect the insurance payout. The claim was suspended once the circumstances of her fall became the subject of a criminal investigation.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that the timing of the policy, combined with his actions at Butterfly Valley, demonstrated planning rather than coincidence.

Loans and Financial Control

Court proceedings also revealed that multiple loans had been taken out in Semra’s name.

Members of her family testified that Semra was cautious about debt and would not have willingly approved loans without clear purpose or discussion. Investigators treated this financial activity as further evidence supporting a motive rooted in money rather than personal conflict.

There was no verified evidence presented that infidelity or romantic involvement outside the marriage played any role in the crime. Prosecutors and judges focused exclusively on financial gain and premeditation.

The Trial

Hakan Aysal denied pushing his wife, maintaining that the fall was accidental. He later attempted to introduce claims related to his mental state, which were rejected after psychiatric evaluation.

The court determined that Semra did not fall by accident.

Judges concluded that Hakan Aysal deliberately pushed his pregnant wife from the cliff with the intent to benefit financially from her death.

The Verdict and Sentence

In 2022, the Fethiye High Criminal Court found Hakan Aysal guilty of premeditated murder.

He was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, one of the most severe penalties under Turkish law. The sentence reflected both the intentional nature of the crime and the deaths of both Semra and her unborn child.

Family Impact

Semra’s family described her as careful, responsible, and excited about becoming a mother. Her brother testified that the loss had devastated their family and stated that no sentence could undo what had been taken from them.

For them, the verdict represented accountability, not closure.

Illustrated sketch based on a real photograph. Not an original image.

A Broader Pattern

Semra Aysal’s death became widely discussed in Turkey as part of a larger conversation about violence against women, particularly killings committed by intimate partners for financial or controlling motives.

Her case stands as a reminder that danger does not always come from strangers, and that crimes can be carefully staged to resemble tragic accidents.