Police and Prosecutors Release More Details in the 'Petrohan' Case Involving Deaths of Six People in Suspected Murder-Suicides

Investigators say the leading theory in the so-called 'Petrohan' case is being reinforced, with inquiries focusing on a triple suicide at the mountain lodge and a double murder followed by suicide in the camper van near Okolchitsa Peak. The update was given today, February 18, by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor's Office during a joint briefing.

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. 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.

So far, investigators say they have found no evidence that other people were present on the night when the three people died at the lodge. Nor is there any indication that any of the deceased had been recruited by State Agency for National Security (SANS).

New footage from six surveillance cameras has been released. According to the Ministry of Interior, the recordings suggest a clearly structured hierarchy within the group, with Ivaylo Kalushev acting as its leader.

The 'Petrohan' Tragedy: Investigators Point to Three Suicides at the Lodge, and a Double Murder Followed by Suicide near Okolchitsa

Authorities say all lines of inquiry remain open, but one version of events continues to dominate.

Natalia Nikolova, Deputy Appellate Prosecutor of the Sofia Appellate Prosecutor's Office said that all evidence collected so far, along with expert reports, indicated that the incident at Petrohan lodge was a triple suicide, while the case at Okolchitsa involved a murder followed by a suicide.

The motive that led the group members to end their lives remains unclear.

Investigators released additional footage, from a total of six cameras, showing daily life at the lodge. One recording, officials say, portrays Kalushev as the unquestioned leader of the group.

Detelin Deshev, National Police Directorate:
“This shows Kalushev’s arrival on 31 January. In the distance you can see Ivaylo, Decho and Plamen waiting for him at the barrier. They then kneel, performing what appear to be bows.”

Kalushev left the lodge on 1 February with Nikolay Zlatkov and a 15-year-old boy. The cameras also captured the spread of the fire.

Detelin Deshev:
“The fire spreads across the second floor. A torchlight can be seen moving inside the building. These are the last moments in which we see Plamen, Decho and Ivaylo. You may also hear rumbles - a series of bangs that could well be gunshots.”

The actual deaths of the three men were not recorded. They occurred at the front of the lodge, where the camera facing that direction was melted by the fire. Attempts are under way to recover the data, though it is unclear whether this will be possible.

The first person captured entering after the blaze was Deyan Iliev, who spent seven to eight minutes at the lodge on 2 February. (Deyan is the person who reported the incident at the Petrohan mountain lodge).The footage shows him running through the yard searching for people before leaving. Shortly afterwards, the first border police patrol arrived, followed several hours later by tactical units from the national police.

Authorities say footage also shows 12 people riding ATVs in the area on the day of the deaths of Ivo, Decho and Plamen, as mentioned by witness Deyan Iliev. Four wheel drives were also recorded passing through the region, though none reached the lodge.

Detelin Deshev:
“No breach of the electric perimeter fence has been found, and no traces of people or vehicles have been discovered around the lodge.”

Natalia Nikolova:
“We have no information about any recruited or active undercover SANS agent among the deceased.”

Officials also addressed how one of the men at the lodge, Ivaylo Ivanov, was able to shoot himself twice in the head. Forensic experts say the first shot, fired under the chin, caused severe facial bone injuries but left him alive and conscious.

Angel Papalezhov, head of Criminal Police unit:
“The second shot caused brain injury and led to death. The superficial wound on the fourth finger of Ivanov’s left hand may have been caused by the weapon’s recoil due to a poor grip — what we refer to as a self-inflicted recoil injury.”

Investigators are currently withholding further details about the deaths in the camper van near Okolchitsa Peak. Traces of the sedative phenobarbital were found in Kalushev’s body, believed to have been taken shortly before his death.

Regarding a report filed with prosecutors in Kostinbrod by the grandparents of an eight-year-old boy, investigators say there was no leak of information. Instead, the relevant authorities began checks at the lodge, which is how Kalushev’s group learned of the signal.

It has been established that declarations were submitted stating that the children at the lodge were there with parental consent. Both the eight-year-old boy and the 15-year-old who later died had been interviewed in the presence of a psychologist.

'Petrohan' Case: Ministry of Interior Report Reveals Alerts Filed Aganst Ivaylo Kalushev's NGO