this MOTHER had NO buisness leaving her family to pursue her selfish ambitions, she should have made her family come FIRST, helping her husband to raise their childen, now she's gone.
Her soul still needs to be prayed for, for Gods help peace for her soul

I am very sorry for her family and their loss. There are places overseas that Americans shouldn't travel solo, Turkey is one of them.

So much for Islam being the religion of peace. It's nearly as violent as Christianity!!

Sad story, but criminals and prejudice people abound everywhere, all over the world. Its too late for her, but common sense, alertness and good reasoning should be in our minds at all times. Walking alone, meeting with strangers is an invitation to tragedy. Even in the USA, I try to be with somebody known, and avoid situations which could be unsafe.

Should of stayed at home. Need a vacation, visit some place in America. It is a little safer here then in Turkey.

I am terribly sorry for the family of this woman. But I am constantly puzzled to find Americans in countries where they clearly have chosen to ignore the basic reality that in many of these countries they are at risk. If not as an American, then as a woman or worse a single woman traveling alone. Why women seem oblivous to this fact seems strange to me. Several years ago there was a cable show that re-enacted experience where in many countries women traveling alone are targeted, kidnapped, credit cards are confiscated and used. Often they are not physically harmed, but held and finally released when their credit cards are used up. Others suffer rape and physical abuse, particularly younger women. The idea that you can walk the streets in a foreign country and people don't recognize you as an American who is vulnerable is ridiculous.. It is a kind of arrogance to believe that as an American you are not going to be a target. Often American women refuse to deal with the reality in some middle Eastern countries the men see American women as loose with their morals and will go out of their way to stalk American women. I know nothing of this young woman, so I do not accuse her of being naive. Perhaps she did everything possible to assure her safety as much as she could. But when you are traveling alone and have no real friends in a country, you are always at risk. It is a sad story.

FYI- Americans are in danger in Turkey. She should never have gone alone.

First to Old Dog. I wonder where you are getting your statisitcs. The U.S. has and always has had 5 - 10 times the murder rate of almost every country in Europe west of Russia. Next, A single woman should never travel alone to a Muslim country. NEVER. A single woman walking the street is taken to mean she is available. The question is how was the woman killed and for what reason. If there was no robbery or no sexual assault, then something else is involved. Also, to the person traveling in Mexico. A male is fine but never a lone female. I have spent 50 years traveling back and forth to Mexico and my wife is Mexican. She will travel no where alone in Mexico. Women traveling alone are fine in most of Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Korea and maybe a few more countries but that is it. Like the others, this is not sexist, just the way it is.

common sense better if you are no wearing a damn burka on this countries you are an infidel thats make you a target for some idiots

Sorry for your loss!

It is a terrible thing to lose a mother and a wife in this way...I do feel and think that Turkey and some other countries in that area do not regard Women as being important, or having rights that male citizens do in thier countries. As for going on that trip alone...I would never travel ANYWHERE alone, either in the US or abroad. There are to many people with little or no regard for another's life to take that chance. We have been to Europe, several times...and the Caribbean once...but we were always with a group, and niether one of us ventured out alone at anytime. Things can happen even when you are with a group, but not as likely as if you were out and about by yourself, expecially in a country where the language is not your own, and the customs are very different than what you have in your home country. Condolences to the family...it's a sad thing to lose a member of your family, in any way...

I wonder how the two women became involved in this?

....going alone to Turkey and being a women........

She sounds like a free spirit with a good but naive heart - the world is an embittered place anymore; especially if you're an American.

Most women and many men would not venture alone over to Europe, Middle east, etc., as common sense would tell you it's risky. She played the odds and lost....she's over 21 years old and is entitled to made that final decision.

But life is risky....138 people per day die in car wrecks alone and that's just in the US! Just think, more people died in car accidents in December than died during the 9/11 event....yet everyone just freaks-out at the loss of 9/11.

First, I am truly sorry for her family. How hideous that her brother-in-law and husband flew to Turkey to try to find her, only for her to be dead.

But I really am against these "women cannot travel alone" in a foreign country comments. One person said - Americans are ignorant to how the world really is. I'm a 40 year old American woman who has lived in Peru, the Philippines and Korea. I have traveled to 22 countries, most of them alone. I am not ignorant. You must research your destination and stay alert. And even after that, terrible things can happen.

You are not safe simply because you stay in America. Ask any crime victim (including myself) what they think of that comment, and they will laugh at you.

Oh God, poor family. I've been following the story and hoped she was ok.

RIP SS and may God care for your family.

Our hearts break again tonight to read about this sad story. All our prayers for the safety of this woman came to nothing. Oh....GOD and you are watching. But then you knw Best....... Dear GOD.

Will I let my woman take this kind of solo trip? Never..... over my dead body......

This is so sad. Murdered, no doubt, by misogynistic anti-Semitic muslims. At 5'2" and 110 ponds she didn't have a chance. Prayers to the family and friends of this beautiful woman.

Whenever you travel inside or outside of the US you have to be smart and careful. No place in the world is safe, and you shouldn't have to barricade yourself in your house for fear of possible negative experiences. You can't judge a whole people by certain violent actions, even if they are the worst. Humans are humans and they will be loving and caring people or hateful and destructive people. It doesn't matter where you come from. All you can do is be smart and cautious. And I love all these jabs at NY when it is the safest place I have ever lived, I am more fearful when I visit friends and family in the numerous suburb areas.

What I want to know was she visiting relatives, if not why would you visit any middle eastern country with all the constant violence by rebels.

Traveling the world as an American is not safe anymore...Those days are over !

Especially as a woman by herself..just asking for trouble and she found it.

Can you handle the truth.....

What a wonderful world......yes that song is so beautiful to listen to and the world is a beautiful world, but alas the people in it are evil. This was an accident waiting to happen. She finally ran out of luck and met one of those evil people. Modern women think they are so strong and powerful and can take care of themselves and handle anything that comes their way.... and then reality sets in and she ends up bleeding out after numerous stab wounds.

She should never have travelled alone, her husband should have never let her go on her own Now he can live with the consequences of his not standing up for the rest of his life. He failed her in his duty as husband to protect her. They could have taken this trip together and she could have done her hobby together with him. Man and woman are meant to be together. Now you have to live with the consequences.

As a young single female who has traveled to Turkey multiple times, I can tell you that I have traveled by myself all over Istanbul, even gotten lost late at night, and helpful men and women guided me in the right direction. Most of Istanbul is safe for a woman to walk alone in, though precautions should be taken at night.

HOWEVER, the Fatih district is known for both extremely conservative residents and drunk troublemakers (it includes the main historical attractions of the old city and a university) -- for this reason it's a cheap place to live -- and it is NEVER a good idea to wander alone there at night, male or female. I've corresponded with some sketchy characters who live in that area, and thankfully I didn't meet them. I also had some unsettling experiences taking a walk by the Blue Mosque after a late dinner at 10PM (only young men are out sitting on the benches, staring at passersby, not women) and learned my lesson.

Here we go with the old womens lib saying."I am women watch me roar" Well that poor women will roar no more because she learned the hard way that life isn't a tv show like these stupid people on the boob tube would have you believe. Whts with her husband who should have made her stay home with her kids and if he was half a man she might still be alive. See man today are told there no longer in charge and so alot of them have taken on more of a female role in there marriage and have given in to being subservent to womens wishes. So now those poor children will grow up without a mother figure, how nice huh?? I spent two years overseas and believe me your safer in your own back yard and don't let anyone tell you different. This we are the world crap is just that, its pure crap.People in other countries are lied to by there government just like we are thats why it isn't safe to travel in lot of countries anymore.

I am sorry for the family's loss. Still, I have to comment that as a woman alone there are certain places I would not visit and at this time it would anywhere in the vicinity of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt and a few others. Did she speak the language? Her name sounds as if she might have been tracing roots (not a racist comment, just an observation) . I cannot imagine her husband just said "...bye honey..." with two kids she should have been more responsible to them. I was going to go to Egypt with a girlfriend for our fiftieth birthday and we decided to pass on it...not worth dying. The last video of her would not have indicated to me that she was an American, but who knows. There was an old saying years ago...see America first...might be something to reconsider.

What a shame and what a waste of a good life. Maybe people will get it that it's dangerous to travel alone, especially if you're a female. The sad part is that this is preventable but people seem hell bent to do their own thing and sometimes the consequences aren't the intended ones.