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Turkish man gets life term for NYC woman’s death

ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court has sentenced a man to life in prison for killing a New York City woman in Istanbul last year.

The Istanbul court on Tuesday additionally sentenced 47-year-old Ziya Tasali to eight years in prison for sexual assault and theft.

Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was found dead in January 2013 amid Istanbul’s ancient city walls, days after her family reported her missing during a solo vacation in the city.

Tasali, a scrap-paper collector, has been on trial for Sierra’s death since September.

Sierra had traveled to Turkey to explore her hobby of photography. She came to Istanbul alone after her friend canceled for financial reasons.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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