'Petrohan' Case: There Was No Shooting From Outside the Camper in Which Three Bodies Were Found

The camper van in which the three bodies were discovered beneath Okolchitsa Peak was removed from the scene last night at around 23:20 (February 8).

It has been moved to a secured facility at a Ministry of Interior building so that investigators can continue collecting all possible forensic evidence, in order to establish with certainty whether anyone other than the three victims found inside had been present in the vehicle.

The 'Petrohan' Mystery: Bulgarian Authorities Released Surveillance Footage as Part of Ongoing Investigation Into the Deaths of Six People

It also emerged that autopsies on the three bodies have now been completed. Death in all three cases was caused by gunshot wounds to the head. Based on the positioning of the bodies and the preliminary autopsy findings, investigators suggest it is more likely that the case involves two murders followed by a suicide. However, this will only be confirmed once the results of the ballistic examination are available.

Projectiles and shell casings from the shooting were found only inside the camper. Investigators are adamant that there is no evidence of shots fired from outside towards the vehicle.

The camper was manufactured in 2025 and was equipped to a very high standard, including radio communications and satellite internet capability. All communication devices, however, had been switched off after 1 February this year.

The vehicle was discovered by a man who had gone to check his summer livestock shelter. In the Vratsa Balkan region, it is common practice at this time of year—after heavy snowfall and rain—for livestock farmers to inspect their seasonal shelters ahead of moving their herds there in mid-March.

Angel Petrov, mayor of the village of Zgorigrad, said:
“Across the Vratsa Balkan, as far as the old mine, there used to be at least a dozen livestock shelters, as I remember. Some are still in use, and at this time people usually go to check them after snowfall, especially when the weather improves, to see whether there has been any damage, raids, or consequences from the conditions. It is standard practice for them to keep an eye on things.”

A group of motorcyclists who practise high-mountain riding provided assistance to the emergency medical teams and to the man who discovered the camper. They later shared footage on YouTube and helped indicate the route to the vehicle, which had been located in extremely hard-to-reach terrain.