Turkish elevator shaft victim murdered, says brother

A 20-year-old British tourist found dead in an elevator shaft in Turkey was murdered, his brother has claimed.

Tyler Kerry from Basildon, Essex was discovered on Friday morning at the Trendy Lara Hotel in Antalya.

Younger brother Mason Read, one of the people who found him unresponsive, said he was “100%” convinced Mr Kerry was killed by someone.

The BBC has contacted Turkish police for comment.

Mr Kerry arrived in Turkey on November 27 with his grandparents, girlfriend Molly and other relatives.

A group of them were enjoying a drink at the hotel bar in the early hours of Friday when the worker, who had fallen asleep on a sofa, disappeared.

Mr Read said he found his brother fatally injured at the bottom of the elevator shaft in the hotel basement during a panicked search.

“Molly ran over, fell to her knees and just started screaming, ‘Tyler, get up,'” the 18-year-old told the BBC.

“It was heartbreaking, heartbreaking. I never thought I would see anything like this in my entire life.”

“I won’t be able to get away from it until the day I die.”

During searches, Mr Kerry’s e-cigarette was found covered in blood on the first floor of the hotel – Mr Read said.

He was discovered lying flat on his face, wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and socks. the family previously said.

Mr Read said he believed police should treat his brother’s death as a murder investigation.

“My brother was 100% killed,” he said. “I want to see justice for my boy.

“It kills me to sit here and think of everything that could have happened to him.

“Me and the family can’t bear to just live in the dark. We need to know now.”

The couple’s grandmother, Collette Kerry, told the BBC that police were treating Mr Kerry’s death as suspicious.

She booked the holiday in February as a “treat” because none of her grandchildren had ever holidayed abroad.

But on the second night of the trip, the 56-year-old and her husband Ray were woken up by a knock on the door to inform them of Mr Kerry’s death.

“For us, it was the family vacation of a lifetime that turned into a nightmare,” she added.

A spokesman for the hotel said staff would continue to support the family during this “incredibly difficult time”.

He expressed his “sincere condolences” and added: “As this is a police investigation we cannot make any further comment.”