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Nazmi Gezginci, a 66-year-old Turkish national, has been arrested in Türkiye in connection with the 1984 murder of 19-year-old Maria Kohler in Aschaffenburg, Germany. The case, unsolved for more than four decades, gained momentum after a renewed investigation in Germany and the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice.
Gezginci, who had been the primary suspect in the killing, disappeared shortly after Kohler was found strangled in her dormitory room at the Aschaffenburg City Hospital, where she worked as a nursing student. He allegedly fled Germany the next day, boarding a flight to Istanbul after leaving his red Mazda at Frankfurt Airport.
In 2024, German authorities reopened the case using modern forensic methods and new witness testimonies. A critical lead came from a DNA sample collected at the original crime scene, which showed a close match to one of Gezginci’s relatives. While a direct DNA sample from him has not yet been obtained, investigators treated the match as significant.
Meanwhile, authorities in Türkiye, acting on suspicions that Gezginci had remained in the country under an assumed identity, launched a coordinated effort between the Hatay Police Department and the Interpol-Europol Division. Field and technical surveillance focused on his known addresses and those of his relatives.
A key piece of evidence was a 1.5-centimeter scar under his right eye, which helped confirm his identity. Police discovered that Gezginci had been using another person’s ID. He was eventually tracked down and taken into custody in Serinyol, a neighborhood in the Antakya district of southern Türkiye.
The case had been featured on the German true crime program "Aktenzeichen XY... Ungeloest" on March 5, 2025. The broadcast prompted 15 public tips, including one lead that police pursued further. Aschaffenburg police also offered a reward of €10,000 (approximately $10,944) for information leading to his arrest.
According to police records, Gezginci first arrived in Germany as a tourist in 1978 and later stayed on a student visa. He and Kohler reportedly had a relationship for around 18 months, which ended shortly before her death. She had been planning to move to Africa for work after completing her nursing education.
On July 30, 1984, Kohler failed to report for work. Her body was discovered two days later, with forensic examination confirming she had been strangled, allegedly with her own scarf. Witnesses told police that Kohler had been seen arguing with Gezginci the day before she was found dead and that he had been watching her from a distance.
The day after the murder, Gezginci reportedly purchased a suitcase, abandoned his car at Frankfurt Airport, and took a one-way flight to Istanbul. He managed to avoid detection for over 40 years.
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