Ministry of Interior and Prosecutor’s Office: No External Involvement in the Deaths of the Six Victims in the “Petrohan” Case

There is no evidence of outside involvement in the deaths of the six victims in the so-called “Petrohan” case. The cause of death of the three men found in a camper van below Okolchitsa Peak was a gunshot wound to the head. The exact time of death has not yet been determined.

The information was announced on March 11 by representatives of the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor's Office during a statement at the Sofia Palace of Justice. No questions from journalists were allowed after the briefing.

Based on the expert examinations conducted so far, investigators have reached a clear conclusion: there was no presence of outside individuals either at the Petrohan mountain lodge or in the camper discovered below Okolchitsa Peak. The motive behind the tragedy remains unknown.

Natalia Nikolova, Deputy Appellate Prosecutor at the Sofia Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, stated that additional forensic examinations will be ordered, including psychological, psychiatric, sexological and theological assessments involving specialists in the respective fields.

The conclusions of the forensic medical experts regarding the bodies found in the camper van indicate that the shots that killed the 15-year-old boy and Nikolay Zlatkov were fired at point-blank range. In the case of Ivaylo Kalushev, the shot was fired from close range but not in direct contact, with the entry wound located in the oral cavity.

Investigators have also collected data on weather conditions and the technical characteristics of the camper van, which may help determine when the deaths occurred.

Nikolova explained that establishing the exact hour may be difficult, but investigators aim to determine at least the day or an approximate timeframe of death. The reason why the bodies of the three were returned at a later stage was because a three-member forensic medical examination had been ordered to clarify the cause and circumstances of death.

Authorities also announced the official cause of death of the dogs found in the mountain lodge. According to Ivan Madzharov, Deputy Director of the General Directorate National Police, the animals died from carbon monoxide poisoning and from pain shock caused by burn injuries.

photos by BTA

The financial activity of the non-governmental organisation connected with Kalushev is also under investigation. Banking secrecy has been lifted for 44 accounts. Witness testimony suggests that nearly 300,000 leva in donations have been received over the past three to four years, including a drone. The largest single donation amounted to 251,000 leva transferred to the personal account of Ivaylo Ivanov. Some donors reportedly hold public positions.

Four additional technical examinations have been ordered concerning laptops and mobile devices found during the investigation. Experts from partner services will also participate in the analysis.

Further inspections of the Petrohan mountain lodge are planned once weather conditions allow. Meanwhile, the prosecution has also launched an inspection of Cosmos School following violations identified by the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria.

• Investigation into the “Petrohan” Case involving the Deaths of Six People: Banking Secrecy Lifted for 44 Accounts

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Three men were found dead in a privately owned lodge near the Petrohan Pass (Northwestern Bulgaria) on February 2. All three had gunshot wounds to the head. The bodies of three more men, (including a 15-year-old boy), who had also occupied the property, were found on Sunday, February 8, in a camper van in the area of Okolchitsa Peak, Western Balkan Range. Their death, too, had been caused by shotgun wounds.

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