site.btaUPDATED No Other People Were Present at Petrohan Lodge on Night of Three Deaths, Evidence Points to Suicide, Authorities Say

There were no other people present at the Petrohan mountain lodge on the night when three people died there, Deputy Appellate Prosecutor of the Sofia Appellate Prosecution Office Natalia Nikolova said during a joint briefing by the prosecution service and the police.

Three men were found shot dead in a privately owned lodge near the Petrohan Pass (Northwestern Bulgaria) a week ago. Three more men, who had also occupied the property, were discovered on Sunday in a camper van in the area of Okolchitsa Peak, Western Balkan Range. Their death, too, had been caused by shotgun wounds.

All evidence collected so far, along with expert reports, indicates that the incident at Petrohan was a suicide, while the case at Okolchitsa involved a murder followed by a suicide. “We are continuing to clarify the details. If a different factual situation is established, we will carry out our duties accordingly,” she added.

According to Nikolova, the activities of Ivaylo Kalushev over the years, both in Bulgaria and in Mexico, are being investigated by the prosecution service. 

Deyan, the person who reported the incident at the Petrohan mountain lodge, has been questioned twice, with the second interview conducted in the presence of a lawyer. His wife has also been questioned. Their home was searched, and his phone was seized again, this time with a lawyer present. Deyan is currently abroad. “He has this right because he is a witness, not a suspect,” Nikolova said.

According to the evidence collected so far, there is no basis to press charges against him. “If we gather additional evidence, we will carry out our duties. If necessary, we will seek assistance from partner agencies,” Prosecutor Nikolova added.

She explained that traces of gunpowder were found on the hands, sleeves, and clothing of Ivaylo Kalushev and Nikolay Zlatkov. A sedative and hypnotic substance was detected in Kalushev’s blood. “Keep in mind that firing a gun produces a cloud of particles, which can settle on the clothing of people near the shot,” Prosecutor Nikolova noted. 

During a search of the house in the village of Bulgari (Southeast Bulgaria), religious literature identical to that found at the Petrohan lodge was discovered. Material evidence of an intimate nature was also seized, the Prosecutor said. 

She read portions of the reports against the organization linked to Kalushev, as presented in the Ministry of Interior’s report on the case, published on Tuesday. Prosecutor Nikolova added that the organization’s activities are under investigation, and some of the case materials have been forwarded to the Sofia City Prosecution Office. 

“The prosecution strives to work quickly on these cases, but first we aim to work accurately. The case will not be closed until all facts and circumstances are established. We will investigate everything that can be uncovered and that may help clarify the objective truth and the motives behind the incident,” Prosecutor Nikolova said.

Senior police officials, prosecutors and experts said last Monday that the principal leads they follow regarding six violent deaths are homicide succeeded by suicide or suicide only. At a news conference in Sofia, the law enforcers provided details on the progress of the investigation into the deaths that occurred between February 1 and 8 in Northwestern Bulgaria.

How thee of the men died

During the same news conference, Ivan Madzharov, Deputy Director of the General Directorate National Police, made public details about how some of the men died at Petrohan and Okolchitsa.

Ivaylo Ivanov killed himself with two shots to the head. One gunshot wound had an entry point under the chin, and the other had an entry point at the left temple and an exit at the right, said during a joint news conference of the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutors Office on Wednesday.

After the first shot, Ivanov remained conscious and still had voluntary control, while the second shot caused his death, explained Angel Papalezov, head of the Criminal Police Department at the General Directorate National Police.

In the case of Plamen Statev, death occurred after a shot fired with the muzzle pressed to the right temple. The exit wound was on the left.

The death of Decho Vasilev was caused by a shot to the right temple that exited on the left.