Chavdar Boyadzhiev was again sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders of Ivo Kolev and Yana Velinova near the Sofia village of Lozen in August 2023, as well as for the murder of another woman a year earlier. This was announced by the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.
With a verdict dated October 12, 2026, the Sofia City Court found Boyadzhiev guilty of all charges. He received a life sentence for the murder of M. S., committed on April 6, 2022 in the village of Lozen, and a life sentence without parole for the murder of Ya. V. on August 3, 2023.
For the murder of I. K., committed on August 4, 2023 in the land of Lozen, accompanied by an attempt at extortion, the court also imposed a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Boyadzhiev was also found guilty of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, for which he received three years of imprisonment.
The court determined one overall most severe sentence - life imprisonment without parole. The sentence is subject to appeal before the Sofia Court of Appeal.
In May 2025, Boyadzhiev was already sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. However, the Sofia Court of Appeal overturned the verdict and sent the case back for a new trial due to insufficient grounds.
The case caused a strong public outcry. In August 2023, Boyadzhiev killed 27-year-old Ivo Kolev and 18-year-old Yana Velinova near Lozen. According to the investigation, Kolev was shot after refusing to give Boyadzhiev his online banking code. Investigators also found that a year earlier, Boyadzhiev had killed another young woman.
The parents of Ivo Kolev and Yana Velinova insisted on the harshest punishment and expressed their dissatisfaction after the first verdict was overturned.
The investigation was conducted by the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs under the leadership and supervision of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.