Police captured nine people, all Armenian nationals, in the northern city of Trabzon and Istanbul over the murder of Hagop Yakup Demirci, a Turkish-Armenian found dead in his home on Saturday. Demirci and his wife Seta Ayda Demirci were hogtied when the 85-year-old man living in Istanbul's Şişli district died of strangulation. His wife survived with injuries while police launching a probe traced the suspects seen in security camera footage to Trabzon. Suspects, including a woman working for the care of the elderly couple, were apparently preparing to flee abroad from Trabzon, which is located near Georgia. Another suspect, an Armenian living in Istanbul, was captured in the city.

All the suspects were brought to Istanbul Wednesday while police said they found a wristwatch belonging to Hagop Demirci and $10,000 in the possession of the suspects. Police said five of the suspects were women.

The police have set up a special team of investigators to find the perpetrators of the home invasion of the couple.

A funeral was held for Hagop Yakup Demirci Wednesday at the Feriköy Surp Vardanas Armenian Orthodox Church in Istanbul.