The case of the discovered bodies of three people near a hut in the area of the "Petrohan" pass raises serious questions about the manner of committing the crime, the possible versions of the motive and the activities of the people who inhabited the site. This was commented on in the studio of "Hello, Bulgaria" on Nova TV by the former director of the "Search" department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and criminal psychologist Krasimir Zanev and Dimitar Kumanov from the "Balkanka" association.
According to Krasimir Zanev, it is currently clear that the three victims have gunshot wounds to the head, more precisely in the temples. They were not criminally active and did not come into the field of view of the police services.
“An autopsy is forthcoming, which will definitively answer whether they used alcohol or drugs, in what quantities, and with what weapon they were killed“, Zanev pointed out. According to him, the forensic medical examination will show whether the weapon found matches the wounds or whether another was used, which is key to clarifying whether this is an external intervention or a more specific scenario, including ritual murder - one of the versions being considered.
Zanev explained that an analysis can be made at an early stage whether two of the victims were killed by the third, who then committed suicide, or whether a fourth person is being sought. “The location of the bodies, the distance to the weapons and the fact that they are legally owned are important“, he specified.
The former police chief also drew attention to the fact that the owner of the hut, Ivaylo Kalushev, and another person are missing and are wanted. According to him, the site had limited access, was fenced and equipped with video surveillance.
According to local residents, camps with children resembling scout camps have been organized in the hut for years. Zanev emphasized that at this point, hasty conclusions about a sect or crimes against minors cannot be made.
“In serious crimes, several versions are always worked out. Specific actions are being taken on each of them until the whole picture is put together,“ he said, adding that investigators cannot intentionally mislead, but are obliged to check all hypotheses.
According to Zanev, the big question is why such abandoned or semi-isolated sites do not come into the focus of the services earlier. “After everything that has been heard, this hut seems operationally interesting“, he said, specifying that the police have mechanisms to monitor signals for places potentially related to criminal activity.
Regarding the fire in the hut, Zanev expressed the opinion that it was most likely an attempt to erase traces, even though the bodies were found outside the building. “An expert opinion is needed - where did the fire start and what is the cause“, he added.
Dimitar Kumanov from the “Balkanka“ association told of reports as early as 2022 of hikers being stopped by armed men near the hut. “People were turned away with the explanation that the territory was prohibited“, he pointed out.
According to him, there was a large fenced area around the hut with electric fences, barriers, no-access signs and cameras. Kumanov claims that photos of armed “rangers“ published on the organization's website were borrowed from foreign sites, which, according to him, created the impression of state or official security.
Kumanov explained that the “National Agency for Control of Protected Areas“ concluded an agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Water in February 2022, shortly after its registration. “It talks about regulatory and control functions, which is absurd, because only state bodies can perform such functions“, he said.
There were inspections by the Executive Forestry Agency in the case, which established illegal fencing, as well as an investigation by the National Agency for National Security, within the framework of which Kumanov provided information. According to him, the organization created several structures with similar names and goals in a short time, which concluded agreements with each other and with institutions.
Kumanov was categorical that nature conservation cannot be carried out through intimidation and armed security. “You cannot convince someone that you are protecting nature if you shoot them because they are picking mushrooms“, he said.
The investigation into the case near “Petrohan“ continues, with the results of the expert examinations expected to provide a clearer picture of what happened and the role of all involved individuals and organizations.
Andrey Kovachev from the Wildlife Association “Balkan“ specified that during the conclusion of the so-called framework agreement between the Ministry of Environment and Waters and the “National Agency for Control of Protected Areas“ he was an advisor for liaison with environmental organizations, which gave him the opportunity to familiarize himself with the case from the inside.
„These people were not known to us. After Dimitar Kumanov's signal, I became interested and then I saw the agreement“, said Kovachev. According to him, the document has no real legal value and does not authorize the organization to carry out any control or security activities.
He was categorical that state functions, including armed control, cannot be delegated to a non-governmental organization, as this is contrary to the law.
Kovachev said that there is no information that the organization has been useful with real environmental protection activities, such as signals of poaching, illegal logging or other violations. Instead, serious problems were immediately apparent when reviewing its website.
„The name itself imitates a state agency, which creates the illusion in people that this is an official body. In my opinion, this is illegal“, he said. Kovachev also confirmed the presence of photos with armed men, masks, jeeps and equipment, which create the impression of a power structure.
According to Kovachev, after familiarizing the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Water with the content of the site, the ministry filed a report with the prosecutor's office, as it does not have the authority to investigate such actions alone. He does not have information on how far the investigation has progressed, but noted that the photos in question were subsequently removed from the site.
According to him, it is not clear whether the SANS investigation followed this signal or began along a different line, but the very fact that the service got involved shows that the activity went beyond what is usual for an NGO.
In the subsequent comment, Krasimir Zanev stated that in his personal opinion, the three murdered and the two wanted persons exceeded their rights, referring to the framework agreement.
“It is one thing what they did, another thing that they are victims of a serious crime“, he emphasized. Zanev pointed out that the investigation should be actively conducted under the so-called. “hot leads“, as this increases the chances that the wanted persons will be found alive and provide explanations.
Zanev drew attention to the fact that the area is difficult to access, but at the same time it was saturated with cameras installed by the inhabitants of the hut themselves. According to him, the investigators have probably already seized the necessary recordings.
He added that there were serious conflicts with local hunting groups, loggers with permits, as well as with residents of nearby villages who were not allowed to pick mushrooms and herbs. According to him, these tensions should be carefully examined as a possible motive for the crime.
In conclusion, Krasimir Zanev appealed for restraint and humanity. "Regardless of all doubts and overstepped rights, these are victims of a serious criminal offense," he said, expressing his condolences to their families.
According to him, the investigation is at an early stage, several versions are being worked on, and it will take time to collect and analyze all the information. "The truth will come out, but it should not be replaced by speculation," Zanev stressed.