Sofia Court of Appeals remanded the undertaker and the loan shark accused of murdering 49-year-old Kiril Rusev

The Sofia Court of Appeals on January 18 ruled to remand in custody the two men accused of the kidnapping and murder of 49-year-old Kiril Rusev.

Petar Alexandrov, a loan shark, and Alexander Kinov, an undertaker, were arrested in a joint raid by police and prosecutors.

Murder near Sofia: The perpetrators kidnapped and tortured the victim

The motive for the crime is believed to be financial. According to investigators, the two made an unsuccessful attempt to cover up the murder of the debtor. There are reports that they kidnapped the victim and tortured him. The murder occurred with two gunshot wounds to the torso and one leg. The Prosecutor’s Office requested that the two men remain in custody.

Murder near Sofia linked to loan shark debt: One of the perpetrators wanted the debtor to repay double the sum he borrowed

The prosecution claims the two kidnapped Kirill Rusev and killed him.

The prosecution alleges that the two men crossed the Serbian border in Aleksandrov's vehicle, with the accused as the driver. According to the border authorities, a passenger presented himself with an identity document of the victim Kiril Rusev. A little over an hour later, the car returned through the same border crossing, this time the passenger was Alexander Kinov.

A witness said that Kinov had asked him to do him a favour and transport a corpse to a funeral agency. The two met and Kinov moved the corpse to the witness's vehicle, saying that his name was Dimitar Peshev, later found to be the victim Kiril Rusev.

The court's decision is final.