Father says Turkey reopens 2011 Antalya hotel death case of Burak Oğraş

September 18, 2026 at 05:30 AM2 min

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Turkish authorities have reopened the investigation into the 2011 death of 16-year-old Burak Oğraş, found dead in an empty pool at the Rixos Lares Hotel in Antalya. The move follows the release of U.S. Justice Department documents on Jeffrey Epstein that mention the hotel. Oğraş's father says a special team has been formed to coordinate the case.

Key Facts

Burak Oğraş, 16, was found dead in an empty pool at the Rixos Lares Hotel in Antalya in 2011.
A National Criminal Bureau report concluded Oğraş did not commit suicide but was pushed or fell due to negligence.
The U.S. Justice Department released Epstein-related documents on January 30, 2026, that mention Rixos Hotel managers.
Oğraş's father says a special team has been established and the file is being reviewed by ministry judges.

The 2011 Death

Burak Oğraş was staying in the staff lodging of the Rixos Lares Hotel, where he was doing an internship, when he fell from the roof and died. A National Criminal Bureau report stated that Oğraş did not commit suicide but was pushed or fell as a result of negligence. The report added that some people staying in the lodging must have first-hand involvement or knowledge of the incident.

Epstein Connection

The Rixos Lares Hotel appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein file, with documents indicating that women and girls were trained there for work in Epstein's private spa centers. The U.S. Justice Department released documents on January 30, 2026, that included correspondence with Rixos Hotel managers. Epstein's private island Little St. James in the Caribbean is known as a center for sexual abuse of minors, prostitution, and human trafficking.

Father's Campaign

Murat Oğraş said his son told his girlfriend before his death that 'perverted things are happening at the hotel and I am very disturbed.' The father claims his son may have witnessed an incident he should not have seen and was killed while trying to record it on his phone, which has not been found for 15 years. Murat Oğraş stated that a special team has been formed, coordination with law enforcement is ongoing, and the file is being examined by ministry judges.