Turkish actor Serhat Mustafa Kılıç, 51, was found dead in his home in the Kağıthane district of Istanbul on Saturday. His girlfriend, Özlem E., 50, discovered him unresponsive in an armchair in the living room after he had been unreachable since Thursday.
Özlem E. went to Kılıç's apartment in the Nurtepe neighborhood after failing to contact him. When she received no answer at the door, she used a spare key to enter. She found Kılıç sitting motionless in a single armchair in the living room. Noticing he was not breathing and his body was cold, she called emergency services at approximately 17:00 local time.
Police and medical teams were dispatched to the address. Medical personnel confirmed Kılıç's death upon arrival. Initial physical examination revealed bruising around the eyes, arms, and legs. However, authorities found no cuts, puncture wounds, or open injuries from blunt force trauma on his body.
Authorities classified the death as "suspicious" pending further investigation. The body was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. During a search of the apartment, investigators found narcotic substances inside the residence.
When questioned by police, Özlem E. stated that Kılıç suffered from lymph cancer and that she had been unable to reach him since Thursday. Some reports indicated he had a known thyroid condition and had been consuming excessive alcohol in recent times.
Kılıç was born July 8, 1975, in Ankara. He graduated in 1998 with high honors from Bilkent University's Theater Department after earning a scholarship in 1994. He began his career in theater, performing with the Ankara State Theater, Diyarbakır State Theater, and Erzurum State Theater before transitioning to film and television.
He appeared in numerous popular productions, including the Turkish television series "Söz" (The Oath), where he played the character Çolak, one of the main antagonists. He also performed in the series "Seksenler" (The Eighties) as Ergon Black and in the historical drama "Veda" (Farewell), directed by Zülfü Livaneli, where he portrayed Salih Bozok, a childhood friend and comrade-in-arms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. His film credits included "Kış Uykusu" (Winter Sleep), "Nokta" (Dot), "Mavzer," and "Cenazemize Hoş Geldiniz" (Welcome to Our Funeral).