Twenty-five-year-old Fahri Mustafa is accused of murdering his mother, his 13-year-old sister, and his 39-year-old aunt in a brutal attack that took place early Tuesday in Bulgaria's Ruen area. According to investigators, the young man used both a firearm and a knife, first shooting his victims before attacking them with a cold weapon. The victims are believed to have been awake at the time, and the bodies showed multiple stab and slash wounds. Fahri’s seven-year-old brother was also injured with a knife but managed to survive and alert the authorities.

Further reading: Horror in Bulgarian Village: Young Man Kills Mother, Aunt, Sister and Sets House on Fire

At a briefing, Burgas District Prosecutor Georgi Chinev and Burgas Regional Police Director Vladimir Marinov revealed that the killings were reported to the Ruen Regional Police Department at 4:14 a.m. A police team arrived quickly at the scene, finding the house engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished by a crew from the Aytos Fire Department, who discovered three charred bodies inside.

The suspect fled the scene and hid in a nearby forest before being captured around 9:30 a.m. He was detained for 72 hours, and prosecutors will seek permanent custody as the investigation continues. Authorities also confirmed that Fahri has been charged and that a forensic psychiatric evaluation will be conducted due to a family history of mental illness. His father suffers from schizophrenia, though there is no evidence that Fahri himself has been treated or monitored by psychiatric services.

Prosecutor Chinev stated that the investigation had determined the attacker fired seven single shots over a span of two to three minutes. Surveillance recordings reviewed by the investigators suggest the killings were carried out with extreme calm and cruelty. “The facts show a very deliberate and targeted crime. The way he obtained the rifle and broke into the house through a window gives us every reason to believe the murders were premeditated and carefully planned,” Chinev said.

According to police, Fahri entered the home by breaking a glass window, despite not having access to the property. The search for the two weapons used in the crime remains ongoing, even though initial reports indicated that a hunting rifle had been recovered.

Senior Commissioner Marinov added that Fahri’s communication with investigators is difficult but that he appears mentally present. “He speaks slowly, stutters, but behaves adequately. However, he does not admit to the crime,” Marinov said.

Authorities also confirmed that both Fahri and his father had been under restraining orders for domestic violence issued by the Aytos District Court in August. Police records show a previous report of verbal threats made by Fahri and an incident in which he damaged his sister’s bicycle in an outburst of aggression.

The triple homicide has shocked the region, with investigators describing the case as one of extreme brutality and cold-blooded intent. For now, police and prosecutors continue to collect evidence and locate the weapons used in what they say was a calculated and deliberate act of violence.