Court Reviews Detention Measures for Six Arrested in the "House of Horrors" Case in Yagoda Village, Alleged "Shadow Owner" of the Home Denies Accusations

In Kazanlak, the District Court is holding closed hearings for the six individuals arrested in connection with the so-called “House of Horrors” in the village of Yagoda. Each of the six suspects is being tried separately in closed sessions, as the pre-trial proceedings are ongoing and confidential, according to presiding Judge Nevena Ivanova.

The prosecution is seeking permanent detention for all six—three men and three women—who face serious charges.

The detainees have been charged with causing bodily harm, unlawful deprivation of liberty, exposing people who, due to their advanced age, are in danger of their lives, unlawful deprivation of liberty, endangering the lives of elderly individuals due to their age and vulnerability, obstructing the work of state oversight authorities, concealing and destroying personal identification documents, Stara Zagora District Prosecutor Tanya Dimitrova summed up.

Investigators are awaiting the results of toxicological analyses conducted on blood samples from eight of the elderly residents. The samples were sent to the Military Medical Academy (VMA) to determine whether the residents had been sedated or drugged. The results are expected on Thursday, the supervising prosecutor said.

• Beaten, humiliated, malnourished: first-person accounts of people housed in "horror houses"

The first to enter the courtroom was Valentin Zhelev, the man named as the mastermind behind the operation of the two nursing homes of horrors in Yagoda. He was charged with two counts of unlawful deprivation of liberty in a particularly painful manner and endangering the health of 18 people.

Valentin Zhelev, the alleged mastermind behind the operation of the two illegal nursing homes in Yagoda, was the first to appear in court. He faces two charges—unlawful deprivation of liberty under particularly cruel conditions and endangering the health of 18 individuals.

Photos by BGNES

Initially silent, Zhelev later stated, “I deny the accusations. Are you sure this is how we treated those people?”

Authorities have also confirmed potential links between the Yagoda case and other illegal facilities, including the notorious home in Govedartsi, suggesting a broader criminal network operating under the guise of elderly care.

As of now, the court continues to deliberate the prosecution's request for pre-trial detention. The outcome will determine whether the six accused will remain in custody while the investigation proceeds.