Man found guilty of Norma Girolami’s murder

The Highgate resident’s remains were found buried in a north London cemetery

A man has been found guilty of the murder of a 70-year-old woman whose remains were discovered buried in a north London cemetery.

Highgate resident Norma Girolami was last seen in August 2021, then reported missing by a friend on 13th September 2021.

She had travelled to Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on the day that she disappeared, 19th August 2021. On 20th September, she was officially reported missing, before a murder investigation was launched in October 2021.

Serkan Kaygusuz of Sparsholt Road, Islington, has now been found guilty of Norma’s murder. He faced trial at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 21st February, where he was convicted. Kaygusuz pleaded guilty to six counts including theft, fraud and perverting the course of justice for disposing of Norma’s body. The jury took only 29 minutes to consider their verdict.

The court heard that Norma met the defendant at Archway Leisure Centre, where they became friends, but when Kaygusuz became unemployed he began asking Norma for money. Before her disappearance, she told a close friend that she had given him more than £200,000 and a car, but confided in them that she didn’t want to give him more money and that her funds were depleted.

When she returned home from Essex on the 19th, Kaygusuz visited her home where he killed her. He wrapped her body in a bed sheet and large black plastic waste sacks from ‘Homes for Islington’ before securing the bags with black duct tape.

Kaygusuz was arrested on 1st October 2021 on suspicion of fraud and false imprisonment, then subsequently on suspicion of murder. He was charged on 4th October 2021 with murder and two counts of theft.

Text messages were received from Norma’s phone after her disappearance saying she was away on holiday, though Norma’s relatives quickly identified them as coming from another sender – the messages were littered with grammatical and factual errors. Listening to a voicemail left by the police, Kaygusuz had returned to the grave, dug up the top layers of soil and reinforced the burial site with wood and more stabilisers in an attempt to prevent the grave from being found.

During their investigation, detectives found that the defendant had bought items online that included two ‘spadin’ forks, six ground stabilisers, overshoes, duct tape, a shovel, long rubber gloves, a large bucket, and forensic style overalls. He also purchased restraint items including handcuffs, a ball gag with wrist restraints and paracord.

Detective chief inspector Kate Blackburn, the senior investigating officer, said: “The items in Kayusuz’s online purchase history were basically a body disposal kit. Despite not having found a body we were certain that he had killed Norma and buried her in a graveyard or a communal space.

“Our search for Norma’s remains lasted fifteen months. We painstakingly examined forensics, CCTV and digital evidence from mobile phones and vehicles and my team recovered stored images from the defendant’s phone that showed the area around St James Churchyard. That was the final piece of the jigsaw that led us to Norma.”

Norma Girolami’s remains were recovered from St James Churchyard at Friern Barnet on 1st November 2022.

The court heard how, after Norma’s death, Kayusuz applied for loans in her name amounting to £60,000. Items of her property, including her jewellery, mobile phone, bank cards, passport and house keys, were found at his address and the address of another woman with whom he was in a relationship.

Detective chief inspector Blackburn added: “Despite having accepted that Norma had been murdered, her loved ones have shown great strength for her throughout our long investigation and now a graphic trial that I know has been an ordeal for them. My thoughts are with them, and with Norma today.

“I am pleased that the outcome is a guilty verdict. Kayusuz’s treatment of Norma was calculated, controlling and highly abusive. He is a dangerous man, fuelled by greed and I urge any other women who may have been pursued by him to get in touch, at the very least to ensure that you are supported.

“My team has remained determined during this investigation for more than a year and a half, they searched diligently until they found Norma and relentlessly pursued the truth of what happened to her. I am incredibly proud that we have been able to return Norma to her family and to witness to the jury find her killer guilty.”

Update (4.26pm)

Kaygusuz has now been jailed for 35 years.

Detective chief inspector Kate Blackburn said: “This has been a horrific and traumatic case for everyone involved – but particularly for Norma’s loved ones.

“Due to Kaygusuz’s decision to plead not guilty, they have seen and heard detail throughout the trial that I know will stay with them for many years to come.

“It is my sincere hope that they can find closure now that the court proceedings are finished, and that their many loving memories of Norma will eventually outweigh their loss.

“My thoughts are with them today, and with Norma.”

As part of a family impact statement presented in court, Norma’s cousin said: “Norma was a life affirming, loving, kind and thoughtful 70-year-old lady. She was a treasured godmother, an aunty and cousin to many. She was also a half sibling.

“You; Serkan, have taken away something beautiful from the world; a unique, benevolent, kind and lovely person. She was a dear friend to all that knew her. Those of us that were fortunate to grow up with Norma would often look up to her.

“You cruelly betrayed her love and trust; took advantage of her generosity and systematically stripped her of everything she had. There came a point in 2021 when then was no more giving from Norma. You could have walked away with a fortune in the bank; job done. But that wasn’t enough and instead you got greedy and set about your calculated plan to kill her. A plan you successfully carried out.

“We will never be the able to spend those precious times with our lovely Norma again and that is because of you. The memories we have of Norma will be tarnished forever and the family will struggle to remember the happy times without thinking of the way in which she has died. It is like a stain on the family and a very dark shadow which will follow us forever.

“You have robbed us of a delightful lady who was at the heart of our family. Norma loved us and we loved her so very much. She was always there with an uplifting smile, or encouragement when times were tough. She always liked to see the positive side of life, even when she faced difficult challenges of her own. She will be missed sorely by all that knew her.”

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