Missing New York mother found dead near ancient walls in dangerous Istanbul neighborhood 'was drawn to site of her death by life-long passion for GRAFFITI,' husband says

Tragic: Missing mother Sarai Sierra was found stabbed to death in Istanbul.

The body of a missing New York City woman has been discovered in a hardscrabble neighborhood of Istanbul next to ancient city walls covered with graffiti that she so loved, according to her husband. 

Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul. She was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was due back home.

The Anadolu Agency says residents discovered the body of a woman near the ancient city walls in a low-income district. 

Police later identified the body as Sierra, through her driver license. Officers have detained for questioning nine men and two women in connection to the murder.

Anadolu said Sierra was found with a head wound and a blanket near her body. She was wearing jeans, a jumper and a jacket, and still had her earrings and a bracelet.

In its report, the private NTV news channel said Sierra was stabbed to death.

Steven Sierra, the victim's husband, told CNN.com that his wife was fascinated by graffiti, which may have been her undoing. 

Tags were evident on the crime scene photos from the site where her body was discovered in the low-income district of Sarayburnu Saturday. 

Police believe that the photographer may have been killed elsewhere and then dumped next to the ancient ruins. However, even it that was the case, it does not exclude the possibility that the 33-year-old woman had met her assailant earlier near the walls. 

Crime scene: Police forensics search for missing New York City woman Sarai Sierra near the remnants of some ancient city walls in low-income district of Sarayburnu in Istanbul

Violent death: Reports say the woman was stabbed in the head, but her killer left behind her earning and bracelet

However, Mr Sierra said that it is possible that his wife, who at one time traveled to Amsterdam to capture street art there, was drawn to the graffiti next to her last known tourist destination in Istanbul, the Galata Bridge.

CBS News reported that shortly after Sierra's body was discovered, a woman came forward and told police she had seen a white car parked near the city walls as she was driving there the night of Jan. 29, Anadolu reported. 

The eyewitness said a man was trying to remove 'something' from the car, at which point she caught a glimpse of a woman's hand. 

The news comes after police in Istanbul detained and released a man who was one of the last in contact with the missing mother, who vanished the same day she planned to meet up with him.

The man only identified as 'Taylan' on social media sites was taken into police custody after questioning on the disappearance of the woman, who went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul.

Theory: Police say Sierra may have been murdered somewhere else and her body was then dumped by the ancient walls

Street art: Sierra's husband said his wife had always been interested in graffiti, and it is possibly that she came to the walls to take pictures of the tags