Ivaylo Kalushev has never spoken directly about suicide. This is what his mother stated in her testimony to the investigators, which BNT has. The two last exchanged messages on 1 February via an encrypted mobile application. Investigators have also found notes believed to have been written by Kalushev. Sources familiar with the case told BNT they indicate an interest in Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and in the possible privatisation of Sofia’s municipal heating company, Toplofikatsiya Sofia. Other notes suggest a focus on environmental and green policies.
Materials from 'Petrohan' Case Investigation Submitted to Parliament Speaker Raya Nazaryan
According to testimony by his mother, Stela Dimitrova‑Maistorova, the two last met in person at lunch two weeks before the tragedy near Petrohan Mountain Pass. Kalushev visited her home accompanied by the 15-year-old boy (found dead with gunshot wounds in the camper van in the area of Okolchitsa Peak, together with the bodies of Ivaylo Kalushev and Nikolay Zlatkov). Afterwards, they communicated mainly via encrypted messaging rather than standard phone calls.
On 1 February she sent him a photo of an icon, which he reacted to with a like. Later that evening, at around 19:50, she received what she described as a strange message.
“I asked whether he had returned from Strandzha. After his message I asked if he was alive. Because of his interest in Buddhism, we had often discussed death, and he had said he wished his death to occur in a way that would prevent rebirth. Those earlier conversations made me worried,” she said.
She tried to call him, but his phone was switched off.
Stella Dimitrova-Maystorova: “Ivaylo never spoke directly about suicide. He did, however, often talk about death. He had a particular attitude towards it — he was not afraid. Over the years he did many reckless things, and he remained calm while doing them.”
The mother also tried calling her son’s friends at the mountain lodge, but to no avail. She says that after learning there had been a fire at Petrohan lodge, she contacted the emergency number 112 to report that she had lost contact with her son and had received a worrying message from him.
Her testimony indicates that before the fire, six people and two dogs had been living permanently at the lodge.
Stela Dimitrova-Maistorova said:
“I don’t know what could have happened. He was on very good terms with his friends. I cannot imagine he would have harmed them. I don’t know — I’m confused. He had a particular sense of life and justice. He tried to protect and preserve nature.”
According to sources close to the investigation, on 1 February, Deyan Iliev, one of the closest followers of the spiritual guru, received a troubling message shortly before 20:00. The message reportedly contained a farewell from Ivaylo Kalushev and urged Iliev to return to Mexico.
The following morning, Iliev and his wife went to the lodge and discovered the bodies of Decho, Plamen, and Kalushev. He testified that he saw dozens of shell casings in the foyer on the first floor. Afterward, he drove to a nearby fountain beneath the lodge, encountered a patrol from the Bulgarian Border Police, and reported the incident.
Investigation reveals Ivaylo Kalushev had interests beyond Buddhism, including Recovery and Resilience Plan and Sofia Heating Company privatisation.
Investigators have found notes in the burnt lodge indicating that Ivaylo Kalushev’s interests extended beyond Buddhism to Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and the privatisation of Sofia’s municipal heating company, Toplofikatsiya Sofia. BNT has access to some of these notes.
Court documents suggest that the spiritual leader also showed interest in religious practices aimed at cultivating a following among other group members.
The notes reveal that Kalushev had recorded details from meetings concerning the privatisation of Sofia district heating company, public-private partnerships for green policies, waste management, and the construction of a facility for processing municipal waste. A handwriting analysis has been ordered to verify whether the notes were written by him.
According to criminal psychologist Rosen Yordanov, there are two main motives behind the incident.
“One motive, which I would call financial, relates to resources that had begun to run seriously low. The second motive is connected to the processes that had started exposing this group — revealing what had been taking place, including reports from parents, especially fathers and stepfathers, concerning the affected children,” Yordanov explained.
Criminal psychologist Rosen Yordanov has cast doubt on the theory that the incident was a ritual suicide.
“I would not rush to claim that this was ritualistic. There may be ritual elements in taking the children to Okolchitsa, where symbolism is involved, but I would not generalise,” Yordanov said.
He added that many questions remain unanswered, both regarding the mechanisms of influence within closed communities and the response of institutions to warning signals.
Causes of Death Confirmed for Two of the Men Found Near 'Petrohan' Hut (update)
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