Police say the man accused of fatally shooting an Ontario mom of three had previously been in a relationship with her.
On May 23, members of the Nottawasaga OPP major crime unit arrested and charged Ahmet Duzguner, 51, of New Tecumseth, with first-degree murder.
Ahmet Duzguner’s charges come almost two years after police say Sibel Duzguner (née Yirtici), 38, was shot dead in her car outside her home in the summer of 2022.
When asked if police could confirm that Ahmet Duzguner was the ex-husband to Sibel Dizguner, Nottawasaga OPP confirmed “the victim and the accused were previously involved in a relationship.”
In a statement last year, police said that Sibel had been planning to remarry at the time of her death.
Ontario Provincial Police say Sibel Duzguner had left for work just before 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2022, on Kidd Crescent in Alliston when she was shot.
Police say the mom of three was getting into her car when a vehicle drove up to her home, and an unknown person fired gunshots into her vehicle at 6:25 a.m., fatally injuring her.
The person then reportedly drove off in the vehicle.
The 38-year-old was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Global News emailed Ahmet’s lawyer, Deniz Sarikaya, asking for a response to the charges.
The lawyer responded: “The matter is in court. So any response will also be in court. At this point, we have not received any disclosure. Mr. Duzguner is presumed innocent and he has the support of his family and loved ones.”
Sibel Duzguner was described by her family as a loving mother with a strong connection to the local Turkish and Muslim communities.
“Sibel immigrated to Canada from Türkiye in 2003 with big dreams. She worked hard to integrate herself into her Canadian life, recently purchasing her own home and car,” a September 2023 statement from police reads.
She leaves behind her children, who lived with her in Canada, and her family in Turkiye, including six siblings and her father.