Brutal killer Serkan Kaygusuz jailed for 35 years for murdering his elderly victim
Horrific crime shocks Islington community
Serkan Kaygusuz, 42, of Sparsholt Road, Islington, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday 22 February to 35 years in prison for the murder of 70-year-old Norma Girolami. The jury wasted no time, delivering a verdict after just 29 minutes of deliberation.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn described the case as “horrific and traumatic” especially for Norma’s family. She said: “They have had to endure every grim detail throughout the trial because of Kaygusuz’s decision to plead not guilty. I hope now they find the closure they desperately need.”
Family devastated by betrayal and loss
Norma’s cousin read a heartfelt family impact statement in court:
“Norma was a life-affirming, loving and generous soul. You, Serkan, took away something beautiful from this world – a unique, kind and lovely lady who was central to our family.”
“You cruelly betrayed her love and trust, exploiting her generosity until she had nothing left. When she finally refused to give you more, your greed drove you to murder her in cold blood.”
“The shadow of Norma’s death will haunt our family forever. She was the heart of all of us. She will be deeply missed.”
Sinister scheme exposed in chilling trial
Norma was last seen in mid-August 2021. She was reported missing weeks later on 13 September by a friend, but initial police checks found no immediate sign of foul play. Suspicious text messages from her phone claimed she was away on holiday, but relatives soon realised these texts, riddled with errors and odd pet names, were fake – sent by Kaygusuz.
The court heard how Norma had given Kaygusuz over £200,000 and even bought him a car. When she stopped handing over money, Kaygusuz’s true colours emerged.
On 19 August, after Norma returned from a day trip to Essex, Kaygusuz paid an unusual evening visit and killed her. He then wrapped her body in bed sheets and black bin bags secured with duct tape, before burying her in a makeshift grave at St James Churchyard, Friern Barnet.
Cold-blooded cover-up and chilling evidence
Kaygusuz tried to cover his tracks. Police found he had bought items perfect for disposing of a body, including shovels, rubber gloves, duct tape, and even restraints like handcuffs and a ball gag.
In a desperate move, Kaygusuz repeatedly returned to disturb the grave, reinforcing it to block discovery. Norma’s remains were only recovered over a year later, on 1 November 2022.
After her death, Kaygusuz committed further crimes, taking out loans in Norma’s name and stealing her personal belongings including jewellery, bank cards, and her passport.
Detective Chief Inspector Blackburn praised her team’s dogged determination: “We examined every shred of forensic, CCTV, and digital evidence. The breakthrough came when we recovered images from Kaygusuz’s phone pointing to the burial site.”
She issued a warning: “Kaygusuz is a dangerous man driven by greed. If other women have encountered him, please come forward for support.”
Serkan Kaygusuz, convicted of murder, theft, fraud, and perverting the course of justice, will spend decades behind bars for this callous crime.
