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Music producer, former singer and medical doctor Erol Kose died on Tuesday after falling from the 16th floor of his residence in Istanbul, prompting prosecutors to open an investigation into what authorities described as a suspicious death.
Emergency teams were dispatched to the scene in the Sariyer district around midday, where Kose was found on the ground outside the building. Prosecutors in Istanbul launched an ex officio investigation, a legal procedure in Türkiye where authorities initiate a case without a formal complaint, while forensic examinations and an autopsy are expected to determine the exact cause of death.
Police officers who entered Kose’s home reported finding a handwritten note that read: “Because of my ALS illness, I had no choice. The responsibility is mine. Please take good care of my cat.”
The note referred to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells and muscle control.
According to initial police statements, a man identified as Mevlut Y., who lived with Kose, said the producer had been dealing with psychological issues and a heart condition, and had not left the house for around three months. He explained that he had briefly gone down to the building lobby and returned to find Kose on the ground outside.
Authorities believe Kose may have fallen while inside a section of the apartment used as a rented office on the 16th floor, although investigations at the scene are still ongoing.
Singer Yasar Ipek said he was shocked by the news and noted that Kose had recently transferred all rights to his musical works to his daughter through MSG, the Musiki Eseri Sahipleri Grubu, a Turkish collective management organization that handles music copyrights.
Ipek added that this transfer had reportedly taken place about a week earlier, and that Kose had also assigned all income and company-related rights to his daughter, who is believed to be studying abroad.
Another acquaintance, Ilker Koc, said he was waiting for official findings before drawing conclusions and described the situation as deeply upsetting, noting that they had worked together closely for several years.
As authorities continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the incident, no definitive conclusion has yet been announced regarding the cause of death.
Born on Sept. 21, 1965, in Elazig, Kose moved to Ankara at a young age and studied at Hacettepe University’s Faculty of Medicine before moving into the entertainment industry. He first gained attention as part of a dance group that blended segments of popular songs into stage performances broadcast on Turkish public television.
After the group broke up, he moved into music production and went on to work with several well-known artists in Türkiye, including Ayna, Atilla Tas, Nihat Dogan, Ferhat Guzel and Nez, helping shape the country’s pop music scene in the 1990s.
In addition to his work in music, Kose appeared on television as a commentator on entertainment programs and later returned to production work after a break in his career.
Kose, who had survived two separate armed attacks earlier in his life, died at the age of 60.
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