site.btaUPDATED Bodies of Three More Men Missing in Triple Murder Case Found in Hard-to-Reach Mountain Area

Three bodies with gunshot wounds were found in a camper van near Mount Okolchitsa, a hard-to-reach mountain area in Northwestern Bulgaria, Chief Commissioner and National Police head Zahari Vaskov told a news briefing on Sunday. The three were wanted in connection with a triple murder in a lodge near Petrohan Pass and had been reported missing.

“We are faced with investigating a crime without precedent, at least for our country so far,” Vaskov added.

Earlier on Sunday, the police cordoned off the area near Mount Okolchitsa.

“The individuals are connected to the Petrohan case,” confirmed Chief Commissioner Zahari Vaskov. He added that it appears that the gunfire occurred inside the vehicle, with no indications of shots fired from the outside. Weapons were also found at the scene, though Vaskov would not specify their types at this stage.

“Whether this is a murder, a suicide - we are pursuing all possible scenarios,” he said in response to questions. He stressed that it is too early to draw any conclusions, as doing so could compromise the investigation.

Senior Commissioner Krasimir Yonchev, Regional Director of the Vratsa Police Department, said that the alert about the camper came from a person who owns a summer livestock pen in the area and was passing by to check on it. The call was made to the emergency number 112 at 9.29 am, after which a team from the Vratsa Regional Directorate was dispatched to the site.

“The crime scene was secured, nothing was disturbed, and we waited for experts and forensic specialists from the General Directorate of National Police in Sofia,” Yonchev added.