The Bulgarian film director, Aleksandar Shivachev, has been killed by his own son in the US city of San Diego where the family lived.

The US site 10News.com published details about the murder under the title “Neighbor: Son Who Killed Father In Home 'Seemed Proud”

“A 24-year-old man was arrested early Wednesday shortly after he allegedly bludgeoned his father to death in the family's University City apartment.

Homicide detectives were called to the two-story apartment in the 9100 block of Judicial Drive at 1:13 a.m., according to San Diego police Officer Dino Delimitros.

A man told 10News he called 911 after hearing a woman's cry for help echoing throughout the complex. He said that before police arrived, he spoke to the victim's son, who seemed "proud" to have bludgeoned his father to death.

Officers found Alexander Chivatchev, 64, dead in the apartment. His wife told police she heard him fighting with their 24-year-old son, Nikola, just before the slaying.

The woman who was heard screaming was the suspect's mother, according to 10News.

"When she checked on them, she saw her son attacking her husband," homicide Lt. Ernie Herbert said. "She discovered her husband had been bludgeoned to death."

Nikola Chivatchev was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder, Herbert said. He was denied bail pending his arraignment scheduled for Friday afternoon.

What motivated the slaying was not disclosed.

"The preliminary investigation has only revealed that there was a disturbance between the father and son," Herbert said. "The motive for the attack is unknown at this time," the 10News story reads.

Shivachev is known in Bulgaria as a film director for the popular in recent past TV anchor, Brigita Cholakova. Ironically they both died years apart, but on the same day – October 6.

Bulgarian journalists, artists and intellectuals are expressing in the media and on Facebook their sorrow and shock over the tragedy.

Shivachev left Bulgaria years ago and the family established themselves in California, where their son was raised. Acquaintances say the father was happy with his life in the US, telling them he had a good job and had opened a massage studio.

San Diego has been the scene of another tragedy involving a prominent Bulgarian artist. On June 1, 2005, popular actress Marianna Dimitrova committed suicide by jumping off the rooftop of a San Diego shopping mall.