The Murder of Silan Tut

Silan Tut and Serkan Akcilad were both Turkish nationals living together in Milwaukee. On the evening of January 24, 2025, a neighbor reported hearing the two arguing loudly, with screaming that lasted five to ten minutes. That same night, surveillance footage from a nearby Pick 'n Save grocery store showed Akcilad purchasing Clorox bleach and Raid insect repellent. Akcilad told police he bought the supplies because they planned to go to Chicago that weekend and wanted to clean up after their pet hamsters before leaving. He said he came home from the store to find Silan dead on the floor, covered in blood, and claimed he initially thought she was joking. He told detectives he fainted from shock upon touching her and found her still dead when he came around.

He did not call police. The following day, January 25, Akcilad purchased a nail gun and shot himself in the head in an apparent suicide attempt. The nail extended into his brain. He did not seek medical attention and continued living in the apartment with Silan's body for the next three weeks, sleeping on the floor beside her. He used her phone throughout this period to send messages to her family in Turkey, including an old photograph he claimed showed her getting ready for a wedding, to convince them she was alive and well.

On February 27, 2025, Akcilad walked into the Milwaukee Police Administration Building. He used Google Translate on his phone to communicate with officers and told them his girlfriend had been dead in their apartment for approximately 20 days. He later admitted that the only reason he came forward was that the property management company was scheduled to inspect the apartment the following day. The pair had received an eviction notice in January for $1,257 in past-due rent.