Nadire Sensoy was last seen at her home in Prospect NSW. Nadire had
earlier told a neighbour that she had been assaulted prior to Police
arriving. Police attended Nadire’s residence however failed to
locate her. There are serious concerns for the safely and welfare
for Nadire.
Anyone with information which may assist in locating the whereabouts
of Nadire is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
STATE CORONER’S COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES Inquest:
Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Mrs Nadire
SENSOY
Hearing dates: 13-15 March 2023
Date of findings: 28 April 2023
Place of findings: NSW State Coroner’s Court, Lidcombe
Findings of: Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes
File number: 2019/70789
Representation: Findings Mr M Johnston SC with Mr A Brown, Counsel
Assisting, instructed by Ms E Leung, NSW Crown Solicitors Office Mr
R McCaw, Counsel pro bono for MN
Mrs Nadire Sensoy died sometime on or about 6 December 2018. The
available evidence does not enable me to make findings as to the
place, manner or cause of her death.
Introduction
1. This is an inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of
Mrs Nadire Sensoy.
2. Section 27(1)(c) of the Coroners Act 2009 NSW requires an inquest
to be held if it has not been sufficiently disclosed whether a
person has died. At inquest a coroner’s first task in the case of a
missing person, is to consider whether or not he or she is satisfied
that, on the balance of probabilities, the missing person is
deceased.
3. If the coroner is so satisfied, he or she will then examine
the available evidence and, if appropriate, proceed to make findings
in accordance with s 81(1) Coroners Act 2009. That section requires
the coroner at the conclusion of the inquest, should sufficient
evidence be available, to make findings that a person has died, the
identity of that person, the date and place of the death and the
cause and manner or circumstances of their death. Mrs Nadire Sensoy
4. Mrs Sensoy was last seen alive on or about 6 December 2018.
5. She was 72 years old at the time and had been widowed since
October 2016, when her husband Mr Yalchin Sensoy passed following a
period in palliative care.
6. Mrs Sensoy and Yalchin were married for 32 years, having married
in Turkey in 1964 and later emigrated to Australia together in 1971.
7. They had five children over the course of their marriage: Turkan,
Sukran, Yilmaz, Yavuz and Selim. The children were overall separated
in age by about 10 years.
8. In 1983, the family moved to premises at 10 Upwey Street,
Prospect5 and as at 6 December 2018, Mrs Sensoy was still living in
the Upwey Street home, along with her youngest son Selim.
9. She has not been seen since her “disappearance” on or about 6
December 2018.
10. NSW Police were alerted to Mrs Sensoy’s disappearance on 11
December 2018, some 5 days after she was last seen.
11. Since that time, NSW Police have conducted the following
enquiries.
Bank accounts
12. Her Westpac bank account has not shown any direct activity.
Regular fortnightly payments from Centrelink have been going in but
there have been no withdrawals (other than payments by authority)
and no indication that her accounts have been accessed. This pattern
of operation, or non-operation, is entirely inconsistent with how
Mrs Sensoy had operated her account in the period prior to her
disappearance. Other than a period when other evidence indicates she
was overseas in Turkey in mid-2018, Mrs Sensoy would regularly
withdraw to cash all, or a substantial portion of her Centrelink
payments within days of receipt (and indeed often on the day of
receipt).
13. The last recorded withdrawal from her account was on 30 November
2018,8 which followed on from a Centrelink (pension) payment made
the day prior. CCTV obtained from the ATM at which the withdrawal
was made showed that Mrs Sensoy was in the company of her son, Selim,
at the time the withdrawal was made.
14. A further Centrelink (pension) payment of $839.30 was made on 13
December 2018 but was never withdrawn.
Medical records
15. As part of their investigation, police checked with local
hospitals whether Mrs Sensoy, or any unknown females around 70 years
of age, had been admitted between 1 and 20 December 2018. There were
no such admissions.
16. Police also accessed Mrs Sensoy’s medical records, being records
from her General Practitioner, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(or PBS) and from Medicare.
17. Those records collectively indicated a number of things:
a. First, that Mrs Sensoy was last recorded as having seen a doctor
on 18/10/2018. No apparent concerns were flagged in that
appointment. Mrs Sensoy was given a vitamin B12 injection and her
blood pressure and pulse were recorded.
b. Secondly, that she was generally diligent with attending medical
appointments. She had attended 22 visits in the calendar year to
October 2018, which was consistent with a history of frequent
appointments dating back to at least 2004; and
c. Thirdly, that she had been prescribed daily medication for high
blood pressure and high blood sugar, including two forms of insulin.
18. Mrs Sensoy had a history of diabetes dating back to 2004 and had
been diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in 2017.14
PBS records indicated that Mrs Sensoy had last purchased insulin and
insulin on 2 October 2018 - that being medication to assist in the
control of her diabetes.
19. When Mrs Sensoy’s daughter cleaned out the fridge at the 10
Upwey Street address following her disappearance, she found that
supplies of insulin had been left there.
20. As indicated by her prescribed medications, Mrs Sensoy had also
had issues with hypertension and high blood cholesterol for some
years leading up to the time of her disappearance.
21. Investigators sought an opinion from Dr Lydia Kovach, a Forensic
Medical Officer with the NSW Police, regarding the medical
consequences of Mrs Sensoy failing to take her prescribed
medication. Dr Kovach prepared a report dated 4 September 2019 ( in
which she expressed the opinions that:
a. Mrs Sensoy would have become symptomatic and uncomfortable within
a period of weeks if she had ceased using her prescribed medication
and would certainly have been symptomatic within months;
b. Mrs Sensoy’s past medical history, which Dr Kovach reviewed,
indicated that she was someone who sought medical services regularly
even if travelling within Australia to, for example, Moree;
c. Mrs Sensoy sought medical assistance not just when symptomatic
but also for health maintenance more generally – (and I have already
made some mention of that regarding her last appointment on 18
October 2018, which was a routine one).
22. Ultimately and on the assumption that Mrs Sensoy was still in
Australia, Dr Kovach surmised that she had suffered a catastrophic
health event and was either highly disabled and unable to seek help,
or else deceased.
23. In expressing that opinion Dr Kovach noted that she had “no
reason to surmise that Mrs Sensoy had assumed a different identity”
which is a caveat that does need to be considered when it comes to
medical and other records. Although it might also be observed that
accessing medical services in this country might prove difficult in
the absence of a wellconstructed alternate identity – or money. A
police check with Births, Deaths and Marriages indicated that no
name change had been recorded to April 2019.
24. Given the time that has now elapsed since the preparation of Dr
Kovach’s report, it can reasonably be taken that those opinions
would only have solidified.
25. Mrs Sensoy had been scheduled to attend an appointment with Dr
Roger Chen, an endocrinologist, for treatment of her diabetes at
11:30am on 7 December 2018:20 She did not attend that appointment.
It appears to have been cancelled on 6 December 2018. Mrs Sensoy’s
phone records show a call from her phone to the landline of Dr
Chen’s practice at 12:38pm on 6 December 2018. This was the last
connected call made from her phone.
Phone records
26. Three further calls were made from the number that Mrs Sensoy
had been using (being 0419 009 305), however none of them connected
(that is, the call charge records that police have obtained show
that they were all of 0 seconds duration). Those calls were made at:
a. 4:57pm on 7/12;
b. 7:27pm on 7/12; and
c. 8:30pm on 8/12.
27. Each of those attempted calls was made to the number of Ismihan
Kocak, a long-term friend of Mrs Sensoy’s since the 1980’s.
28. Ms Kocak provided a statement to police on 28 December 2018 in
which she indicated, amongst other things, that she had tried to
call Mrs Sensoy “about 2 weeks ago” as she had some problems with
her television. Selim answered the phone. She asked to speak to Mrs
Sensoy. Selim told her, “Mum is very sick. She can’t get up. Her
eyes don’t see. Her sugar is high.” Ms Kocak told Selim that her
television wasn’t working and he came to her house later that night
to fix it (although it had already been fixed by that time).
29. Call charge records indicate that the only connected call
between Mrs Sensoy’s phone and that of Ms Kocak over the period 6-13
December 2018 was at 4:58pm on 7 December 2018. That call lasted 58
seconds. There is some evidence from Ismihan’s son, Sezai, that the
conversation regarding the broken television took place on 7
December 2018.
30. The mobile phone handset that Mrs Sensoy had been using, which
is identifiable as an IMEI number from the call charge records to
which I have made reference, has not been located during the course
of the investigation.
Overseas
31. The police investigation has also explored the possibility that
Mrs Sensoy left Australia but found no indication that she had done
so. Checks done with the Department of Immigration provided no
evidence that Mrs Sensoy left for Turkey, or any other overseas
location.
32. Police placed a movement alert on Mrs Sensoy (being an alert
that they be notified if Mrs Sensoy moved in or out of the country).
27 That alert has not returned any indication that Mrs Sensoy has
moved into or out of the country since it was placed.
33. Mrs Sensoy’s current Australian passport was found at the Upwey
Street premises, inside a suitcase containing documents of Mrs
Sensoy’s and Yalcin’s.28 The last travel recorded in Mrs Sensoy’s
passport was to Turkey on 13 May 2018, which is consistent with
records obtained from the Department of Immigration.
34. A number of expired Turkish passports in Mrs Sensoy’s name were
also found during a search of 10 Upwey Street. Investigators made
inquiries of the Turkish embassy and were advised that Mrs Sensoy
does not now have a Turkish passport.
35. Police reached out to a relative of Mrs Sensoy’s in Turkey to
whom she was close, Ms Hulya Coskun.31 She advised police that:
a. In her opinion, if Mrs Sensoy had come to Turkey she would have
contacted Hulya, “100%”;
b. Every time Mrs Sensoy visited Turkey she would stay with her and
they would “go everywhere together”;
c. That she and Mrs Sensoy used to talk frequently by phone; and
d. That she had neither seen, nor heard from Mrs Sensoy since 5
December 2018.
Evidence in relation to Mrs Sensoy’s disappearance
36. Prior to 6 December 2018 there was clear evidence that Mrs
Sensoy was alive, communicating with family and friends and engaged
in everyday activities. She had not been living “off the radar”, so
to speak.
37. She was engaged with local medical professionals and had been
engaging with them for many years in connection with her health
issues, which included insulin-dependent diabetes as at the date of
her disappearance.
38. She was receiving and regularly accessing Centrelink payments,
often on the day on which they were received but, if not, generally
within days.
39. When she travelled, she did so using her Australian passport as
Department of Immigration records indicate.
40. While there is evidence in the compiled brief that Mrs Sensoy
had reportedly become less socially outgoing in the months leading
up to her disappearance, there is equally evidence that she
maintained regular contact with close friends and family including
Hulya Coskun in Turkey, Ipek Dinclik and Ismihan Kocak.
41. That all changed on or about 6 December 2018 and it was noticed
by friends, family and neighbours. Her disappearance was noticed and
she was missed.
42. The possibilities that arise are that either Mrs Sensoy made the
choice to willingly disengage from friends and family and had the
means and wherewithal to, in effect, disappear without a trace – for
a period of years now – or, something else happened to her and, as a
result, she is deceased.
43. As to the possibility that Mrs Sensoy may left of her own
accord, the question arises: where may she have gone?
44. There has been no confirmation and little evidence to suggest
that Mrs Sensoy voluntarily left her home and travelled to any
particular location. In the period immediately following her
disappearance, there was some suggestion that she may have gone to
Moree.
45. There is some evidence that she had discussed with Ismihan Kocak
the possibility of going to Moree a few weeks prior to her
disappearance.
46. Extensive inquiries were made by police with motels, hotels,
inns, lodges and women’s refuges in the Moree area and there was no
indication that Mrs Sensoy had stayed there in December 2018 in the
period following her disappearance.35 The steps taken by police
included local general duties officers attending all natural springs
motels listed in the Moree Tourism Brochure, speaking to staff and
showing pictures of Mrs Sensoy, but receiving no indication that she
was, or had been staying at any of the locations.36 Checks with a
broader list of accommodation providers were conducted by phone,
again with no indication that either Mrs Sensoy, or any women of
Turkish appearance and approximately 70 years of age were, or had
been, staying at any of them.
47. CountryLink and Transport NSW checks were conducted on 13
December 2018, as well as checks with taxi companies, but no
bookings in the name of Mrs Sensoy were recorded.
48. CCTV was obtained from Moree train station which, when reviewed,
did not show Mrs Sensoy arriving in Moree by train.
49. While Mrs Sensoy had a driver’s licence and a vehicle registered
in her name (being a black Jeep Cherokee), this vehicle was known to
be driven by her son40 and there is evidence he was in possession of
it, and using it, after 6 December 2018.
50. The investigation revealed no evidence confirming that Mrs
Sensoy had travelled to Moree, nor any evidence that she had stayed
in Moree over the relevant period of December 2018. Turkey
51. Another place that Mrs Sensoy had mentioned, around the time of
her disappearance, that she intended to travel to was Turkey.
52. There is evidence that she told her friend Ipek Dinclik on 4
December 2018 that, once she got the chance, she was going to go
back to Turkey and not come back
53. There is also evidence that she told Hulya Coskun on or about 5
December 2018 that she was intending to travel to Turkey, although
it is not apparent when she intended to travel there.
54. There is also evidence from a number of witnesses who had been
told that Mrs Sensoy either was in Turkey, or may have gone to
Turkey.
55. As I have already noted, checks with the Department of
Immigration conducted on 13 December 2018 indicated that Ms Sensoy
was still “onshore”, and a movement alert was placed on her that did
not produce any indication that she moved into or out of the
country.
56. Mrs Sensoy’s Australian passport was found during a search of
her home and inquiries indicated that she did not have a current
Turkish passport. Medication was found in her home, including
insulin supplies. Her dentures were also found during a search of
the Upwey Street premises. There is evidence from Turkan Alagoz that
Mrs Sensoy had used these since she was 40.
57. There is no evidence that she has made any contact with friends
or family in Australia or Turkey. I do not accept that she has
willingly chosen to sever all contact with friends and family. Mrs
Sensoy reported missing
58. Mrs Sensoy was reported missing to police on 11 December 2018 by
her daughter, Turkan Alagoz. She had received a call from one of Mrs
Sensoy’s neighbours, Zulila Ozdemir, expressing concern for Mrs
Sensoy. Ahmet Aktas had called Zulila’s husband, Serif Ozdemir,
expressing his concerns for Mrs Sensoy’s welfare and she in turn had
called Turkan.
59. Turkan contacted her sister-in-law Leisa Ashburn who then called
the Police Assistance Line on 11 December 2018 at 6:14pm.
60. The CAD report states: “On FRIDAY 7/12/18. POI 2 NOT SEEN OR
HEARD FROM SINCE 7 DECEMBER 2018. CURTAINS OF THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN
CLOSED SINCE THAT DATE.”
61. At about 7.00pm, Sergeant Grima and Constables Guttridge and
Laferla attended 10 Upwey Street. Nobody was home. Constable
Guttridge phoned Leisa Ashburn who reiterated her concerns for Mrs
Sensoy. Two further officers arrived, and a canvass of the
neighbours was conducted. All neighbours said that they had not seen
Mrs Sensoy for at least two days.
62. Police then forced entry to the home via the back door. They
found no signs of Mrs Sensoy inside and no obvious signs of
disturbance.
63. When Senior Constable Mitchell attended the following day (12
December 2018) he noted that the last date shown on the calendar on
the fridge was 6 December 2018.
64. Police conducted a number of searches of the premises over the
following days and took a number of investigative steps in an
attempt to locate Mrs Sensoy. The neighbourhood was canvassed for
information and possible CCTV of relevance. A cadaver dog search of
the Upwey Street home was conducted on 27 December 2018.46 A line
search was conducted at Lalor Street Dog Park after Selim’s phone
was found there by a good Samaritan. Nothing of interest was found.
65. Mrs Sensoy has not been located over the course of the
investigation to date.
66. There is no credible evidence she is in Moree or Turkey.
67. Checks conducted with the records held by New South Wales
Missing Persons Unit confirm that no match has been made with any
identified deceased person or remains.
68. Since 6 December 2018 all relevant activity that you would
expect from Mrs Sensoy ceased.
69. I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that she is
deceased. I am also satisfied that she died in suspicious
circumstances.
70. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the
evidence surrounding the suspicious circumstances of Mrs Sensoy’s
death. On 21 March 2023 a known person was charged with an
indictable offence that raises the issue of whether the known person
caused the death.
71. In those circumstances I now suspend this inquest. The available
evidence only allows me to make findings in relation to Mrs Sensoy’s
identity and date of death. At this point, I am unable to make
findings in relation to the place, cause or manner of her death.
Findings pursuant to s 81 (1) Coroners Act 2009
Identity The person who died was Nadire Sensoy
Date of death Mrs Sensoy died sometime on or about 6 December 2018
Place of death The available evidence does not allow for any finding
to be made as to the place of Mrs Sensoy’s death
Cause of death The available evidence does not allow for any finding
to be made as to the cause of Mrs Sensoy’s death
Manner of Death The available evidence does not allow for any
finding to be made as to the manner of Mrs Sensoy’s death
Magistrate Carmel Forbes
Deputy State Coroner
28 April 2023
NSW State Coroner’s Court Lidcombe
The NSW Government has announced a $350,000 reward
for information over the suspicious disappearance
and suspected murder of a woman from Sydney’s west.
Nadire Sensoy, aged 71, was last seen near her home
on Upwey Street, Prospect, on Thursday 6 December
2018.
Her family reported her missing on Tuesday 11
December 2018, with officers from Blacktown Police
Command commencing an investigation under Strike
Force Admirality.
Mrs Sensoy has not been seen or heard from since.
Her family and police continue to hold serious
concerns for her welfare.
Mrs Sensoy is described as being of
Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, about 165cm
tall, of a thin build, and with short dyed brown
hair.
As police continue their inquiries, Police and
Emergency Services Minister David Elliott has
announced a $350,000 reward for information that
leads to locating Mrs Sensoy.
“Since Nadire Sensoy was reported missing in 2018,
her family have been searching for answers. Someone
must know something about her disappearance,” Mr
Elliott.
“I hope this reward will generate information and
assist Strike Force Admirality investigators locate
any individual or individuals involved.”
Blacktown Police Area Commander, Superintendent
Stephen Egginton, said it was out of character for
Mrs Sensoy to not be in contact with her family.
“Nadire is very much a family-oriented person –
she’s a devoted mother to five, grandmother to 17
and great-grandmother to four,” Supt Egginton said.
“It’s puzzling to say the least that no one has seen
or heard from her in nearly two years. Mrs Sensoy is
not the type of person to just up and leave without
telling anyone.
“Our investigators have been told that, before she
was reported missing, she had planned appointments;
however, she did not attend.
“We’re continuing to follow up all lines of inquiry,
including the grim possibility that Mrs Sensoy may
have met with foul play.”
Mrs Sensoy’s daughter, Turkan Alagoz, 53, said she
could not believe that her mother would willingly
leave behind her family, friends and life without
letting anyone know.
“Mum’s lived in Prospect for more than 40 years and
is well known and respected by all of her
neighbours; with some even calling her ‘aunty’,” Ms
Alagoz said.
“She always helps out where she can; whether that be
driving them to and from the shops or passing on her
baking treats.
“It’s been so difficult not knowing where mum is,
and not being able to speak with her. Please, if you
know where she is or have any information that can
help police find her, I beg you to come forward.”
The $350,000 reward can be paid for information
leading to the arrest and conviction of the person
or persons responsible for the suspicious
disappearance of Mrs Sensoy.
Anyone with
information that may assist Strike Force Admirality
investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers:
1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information
is treated in strict confidence. The public is
reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social
media pages.
$350,000 reward for information about Sydney woman's disappearance
Police have announced a $350,000 reward for information surrounding
the suspected murder of a woman in Sydney's west after her son
escaped from jail last month.
Nadire Sensoy, who would now be 71, was last seen at her home in
Prospect, near Blacktown, on December 6, 2018.
She was reported missing five days later.
Mrs Sensoy's son, Salim Sensoy, 44, is on the run after breaking
out of Glen Innes Correctional Centre in NSW five weeks ago.
It is believed he used a tractor to escape.
Superintendent Stephen Egginton said Mr Sensoy's behaviour
was one of a number of lines of inquiry police were looking
at in relation to his mother's suspicious disappearance and
suspected murder.
"Salim, give yourself up, mate," Mr Egginton said at a press
conference on Tuesday. "We need to see you and we need to
speak to you."
Police and family hold serious concerns for Mrs Sensoy's
welfare.
Superintendent Egginton said her disappearance was in part being
treated as suspicious because she made a number of appointments
for the days after her disappearance, which it was "very out of
character" for her to not attend.
Turkan Alagoz, Mrs Sensoy's daughter, said her mother had lived
in Prospect for 40 years and was well known to neighbours, with
some calling her "auntie".
"She wouldn't just up and leave without telling anybody," Ms
Alagoz said.
"She always helped out where she could, whether that be driving
them to and from the shops or passing on her baking treats.
"Please, if anybody knows where she is, or has some information
that could help the police, please reach out."
Family hoping mum's body is found after son charged with murder
The daughter of Nadire Sensoy is hoping her mum's body will
be finally found after the 71-year-old's son was charged
with her murder, more than four years after she disappeared
from her home in Sydney's west.
Selim Sensoy, 47, allegedly killed his mother between
December 6 and December 11 in 2018.
He was arrested in Wagga Wagga in relation to the alleged
murder today.
Nadire's daughter Sue Sensoy said the arrest had "been a
relief".
"We have been waiting for justice to be served for four
years now," she said.
She said the family was hoping to find the missing woman's
body now a breakthrough had been made.
"She was a beautiful woman, everyone loved her," she said.
Nadire Sensoy went missing from her Prospect home in
December 2018, sparking a police investigation.
She was a mother of five and grandmother to 17.
A coronial inquiry into her suspected death began this month
but was suspended after "new information" came to light.
Selim Sensoy has been refused bail and was expected to
appear before Wagga Wagga Local Court today.
