Deyan Iliev, the man who discovered the bodies in the Petrohan lodge on February 2 and subsequently alerted the police, has left Bulgaria, according to information published by 24 Chasa. Iliev found the bodies of 49-year-old Ivaylo Ivanov, 45-year-old Decho Iliev, and 51-year-old Plamen Stattev and formally reported the case to the Ministry of Interior before departing the country a few days later.

Concerns about Iliev’s whereabouts were publicly raised by Ralitsa Asenova, whose son Nikolay Zlatkov was found dead on February 8 beneath Okolchitsa Peak alongside Ivaylo Kalushev and 15-year-old Aleksandar Makulev. Speaking on Nova TV, Asenova said Iliev had informed her about the deaths in the Petrohan lodge but had not mentioned that the victims had gunshot wounds. She also voiced serious concern, saying she had been unable to contact Iliev or his partner.

It later became clear that Iliev, known by the nickname “the Mexican,” left for Mexico last week. As there are no direct flights from Bulgaria, he first traveled to Spain. His destination is linked to his personal life, as he lives with a Mexican woman named Lola. The two previously lived together in a house in the village of Gintsi, located near the mountain rangers’ base and closest to the Petrohan lodge.

A day before discovering the bodies, Iliev received a message from Ivaylo Kalushev reading: “Goodbye, friend, we are very tired and have no more strength.” Iliev passed this information on to the Ministry of Interior. He was questioned twice and cooperated with investigators before leaving the country.

Iliev became part of Ivaylo Kalushev’s inner circle when he was 16 years old. He later took part in boat journeys to Mexico, a fact confirmed by Valeri Andreev, who has stated that he had sexual relations with Kalushev while still a minor. In recent years, however, Iliev appears to have distanced himself from the most closely initiated members of the group associated with the so-called cult of Lama Ivo, likely due to his relationship with his Mexican partner.

There are records of Iliev’s activities in Mexico until 2024, when he rented a house in the Tulum area. In 2025, he purchased a property in the village of Gintsi, near the Petrohan lodge. His family background has also drawn attention. His father, Delcho Danailov Iliev, was recruited as a counterintelligence agent in 1987, according to data from the Commission on Files. He served in the same department to which Georgi Kalushev, the father of Ivaylo Kalushev, was later transferred.

Meanwhile, investigators have stepped up their work related to Ivaylo Kalushev. Teams from the Criminal Police at the Burgas Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, together with officers from the Tsarevo regional unit, are searching Kalushev’s house in the Burgas village of Bulgari, as reported by bTV and BNR. Law enforcement entered the property for the first time, having previously only inspected it from outside. The operation is focused on locating documents, while devices storing video surveillance footage are also expected to be seized, with reports indicating there are nearly ten cameras on the premises.

The bodies found on February 2 in the Petrohan lodge were followed a week later by another grim discovery. Under Okolchitsa Peak, investigators found three more bodies in an abandoned camper: 51-year-old Ivaylo Kalushev, 22-year-old Nikolay Zlatkov, and 15-year-old Aleksandar Makulev. The investigation established that between January 27 and 31, the three had been staying in the village of Bulgari before heading toward the Vratsa Balkan.

Residents of Bulgari said that shortly before leaving, Kalushev, Zlatkov, and the teenager had been repairing a water tap in the yard of the property. Their departure was described as abrupt, as they left the water shaft open and did not close the gate to the yard. A specialized locksmith team was later brought in to help open the house.

The property in Bulgari was purchased by Ivaylo Kalushev in 2022 and was used as a base for his organization near the sea. Neighbors said the previous owner was Russian. A check in the Property Register shows that Kalushev had acquired a total of 21 properties across Bulgaria over the years through purchases, donations, and inheritance. His largest asset was the Petrohan lodge itself, near which he bought five acres of land from the Ministry of Agriculture in 2021 for 4,918 leva, or about 2,514 euros. Outside Bulgaria, Kalushev also owned real estate in Mexico.