The District Prosecutor's Office - Plovdiv is monitoring pre-trial proceedings for the intentional murder of the famous Plovdiv businessman Iliyan Filipov. This was announced at a briefing by representatives of the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, quoted by bTV.
The procedural and investigative actions began in the early hours of today, immediately after receiving a signal on the 112 telephone. At the moment, they are continuing, and all possible versions are being actively worked on.
The prosecutor's office confirmed that this is a case of intentional murder committed with a firearm. Filipov's death occurred as a result of a gunshot wound.
The murder took place at around 1:00 am on the territory of a property owned by Iliyan Filipov. The investigators did not provide further details about the specific mechanism of the crime, as the pre-trial proceedings are at a very early stage.
Representatives of the District Prosecutor's Office - Plovdiv, the General Directorate of the "National Police", the State Agency for National Security and the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Plovdiv were on site. A headquarters was formed, and the police took containment measures immediately after the signal was sent to the 112 telephone number.
“We are working actively, a headquarters has been formed“, the investigators said.
According to them, the purpose of the containment measures was to limit the possibility of specific individuals leaving the area as much as possible. Security measures have been introduced in the city and neighboring districts, and the regime has been tightened at the border.
Operational teams and investigative police officers are working on the scene. Witnesses are being questioned and people who can provide information about what happened are being sought.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not confirm whether there is already a suspect or suspects in the murder. The information that Filipov was ambushed while returning home was also not confirmed.
Investigators refused to comment on whether there were witnesses to the murder itself, as well as whether video footage from cameras is available. They indicated that all necessary actions are being taken, and the collected traces and evidence are yet to be analyzed.
“There are always traces at every crime scene“, the prosecutor's office stated, without specifying what the specific traces in the case are.
The information that Filipov was shot at from a nearby grove in the area of the “Recreation and Culture“ complex around Peshtersko Shosse was also not confirmed. The police specified that citizens' access to the area is not restricted.
The investigators stated that they are not ruling out any version at the moment. They emphasized that it is too early to determine a specific leading version for the motive and the perpetrator.
“It is too early to come up with a specific version. For this reason, all possible evidence is being collected in order to come up with a leading version,“ the prosecutor's office explained.
During the briefing, the question was also raised whether the murder could be related to Filipov's business, including his construction activities, his transport company or the “Botev“ stadium he manages.
The prosecutor's office indicated that all possible versions are being examined, including circumstances related to the activities of the murdered businessman.
“There are a lot of circumstances that need to be clarified, including those related to the activities of the murdered person. That is, the versions can be many and different“, the investigators said.
They specified that depending on the evidence collected, the relevant versions will be put forward for the cause of death and for the persons who are relevant or involved in the crime.
When asked whether Filipov had filed reports of threats, the police replied that they currently do not have data on such. Information about previous reports from his side about threats made against him was also not confirmed.
The investigators did not provide details on whether actions will be taken at specific sites related to Filipov's business. They stated that the actions are active “on all lines, at all sites and places“.
All persons who are related to the case or can help clarify the relations and circumstances surrounding the murder will be questioned.
The briefing was also attended by Deputy Minister of Interior Emil Ganchev. He explained that he was on site due to the necessary coordination between the Ministry of Interior, the judicial authorities and other institutions involved in the investigation.
“Let's not make such analogies. Each specific case is investigated on a specific occasion“, said Ganchev in response to a question whether the murder is reminiscent of criminal cases from the past.
He specified that only a few hours had passed since the report was filed and the necessary organization had been created in the Ministry of Interior by order of the Minister of Interior.
“We are currently collecting data, which we will then analyze and draw conclusions and leading versions“, the deputy minister said.
The investigation continues, with all initial procedural and investigative actions being carried out or already carried out. The police will remain on site until investigators determine that all necessary evidence has been collected.