The former head of the "Homicide" department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs Botyo Botev commented on details surrounding the tragedy in Petrokhan, in which six people died. On the air of the program "Wake Up" on Nova TV, he analyzed the psychological profile of Ivaylo Kalushev, known as "The Lama", and discussed the extent to which the case could have been prevented by law enforcement agencies.
According to Botyo Botev, the Petrokhan case is unparalleled worldwide from the point of view of forensics. He pointed out that although the facts have been clarified to a large extent, Kalushev's personality remains the subject of in-depth analysis. "He has these qualities to communicate, to get under the skin of the people he needs," said the criminalist. Botev added that Kalushev had "serious psychological deviations," which, however, were combined with high intelligence.
The conversation touched on the topic of Kalushev's possible connections with the security services. According to Botev, there were grounds for "operational interest" in him, especially after his return from abroad. He expressed the opinion that an "incorrect or inaccurate assessment of this person's qualities" was made by the institutions, which allowed him to influence the people around him, including representatives of the services.
Regarding the crime scene itself, Botev noted specific details such as the arrangement of three of the bodies in a row, which, in his words, is reminiscent of a ritual. He also pointed out the contradiction in the perpetrator's actions - setting the villa on fire, which inevitably attracts the attention of others. "Which perpetrator would kill and burn the house, which would eventually be noticed by citizens? This is incompatible with the practice of the direct perpetrators," the criminalist commented.
Botyo Botev also drew attention to the behavior of the victims' relatives. He pointed to the example of the father of one of the children, who in television interviews expressed complete trust in Kalushev. "This is a matter of psychology - perverted. This man was able to charm the people around him, to subjugate them," he explained.
When asked whether the tragedy could have been prevented, Botev replied that it was probably not, given the assessments made about Kalushev's personality up to that point. He concluded that the case will yet be the subject of research from various scientific fields, including forensics and psychology, due to its complexity and atypicality.