site.btaProsecution on Petrohan Case: Gathered Evidence Does Not Change Conclusion of No Outsiders at Crime Scene

The evidence gathered does not change the conclusion that there was no external presence, no outsiders at either of the crime scenes, said Sofia Deputy Appellate Prosecutor Nataliya Nikolova on Wednesday at a news conference on the progress of the investigation into the Petrohan and Okolchitsa deaths. Active investigation efforts have not stopped, witnesses continue to be questioned and expert reports continue to be commissioned, Nikolova explained.

What has been dubbed the "Petrohan case" refers to a high-profile criminal case in which five men and a 15-year-old boy met a violent death between February 1 and 8. Their bodies were found in two remote mountain locations in Northwestern Bulgaria: a lodge near the Petrohan Pass and a camper van near Okolchitsa Peak. Forensic experts established that all six died of gunshot wounds. Law enforcement officials said the principal leads they followed, based on ballistics findings, the causes of death have been identified as suicide at the lodge and homicide and suicide in the camper.

Nikolova explained that the investigations are being conducted in two specific directions – one related to the six people at the Petrohan Lodge and Okolchitsa Peak. Two pre-trial proceedings have been initiated – one under the supervision of the Sofia District Prosecution Service and the other under the supervision of the Vratsa District Prosecution Service. Analysis of the evidence gathered in both proceedings has shown that they needed to be combined under the supervision of the Sofia District Prosecution Service. This concerns the deaths of the six men, Nikolova said.

The prosecution service representatives did not take questions from journalists during the news conference.