Police and prosecutors continue to work on multiple lines of inquiry into the deaths of three men found near the former Petrohan lodge close to the village of Gintsi, as attention increasingly focuses on the activities of a non-governmental organization linked to the site and possible international connections.

Further reading: Bulgaria: Three Found Dead Near Petrohan Were Members of a Paramilitary Ranger Agency

Law enforcement authorities are currently searching for several individuals associated with the organization that managed the lodge, which investigators say shows characteristics of a closed group with sect-like elements. The Ministry of Interior has not officially confirmed the exact number of wanted persons, but Bulgarian National Radio reports that at least two people are being sought, one of them a minor. His role and connection to the organization are still being clarified.

The cause of death of the three men remains undetermined. The Interior Ministry has stated that no version is excluded at this stage. Autopsies are expected to establish whether the deaths resulted from homicide, suicide, or another scenario. Investigators are also examining reports of contacts between members of the organization and Latin American countries, as well as complaints that people were prevented from moving freely around the lodge area.

On-site inspections are continuing, while pre-trial proceedings are under way. Evidence collected so far indicates that gatherings were regularly held at the lodge, including camps involving children. The building was used by structures calling themselves the “Bulgarian Ranger Group” and the “National Agency for Control of Protected Areas”, organizations in which the deceased were reportedly involved. Investigators are now clarifying the legal status of these entities and the nature of their activities.

Authorities have confirmed that a large quantity of weapons was found at the site. The firearms were legally owned and the deceased were not known to police as criminally active individuals. However, criminal psychologist Assoc. Prof. Nedelcho Stoychev suggested in a television interview that the fire at the lodge was deliberately set in an attempt to destroy video surveillance recordings. He also expressed the view that the organization’s activities were not entirely lawful, despite being formally registered for environmental protection purposes.

Parallel to this, investigators are trying to locate at least three additional people, including the lodge’s owner Ivaylo Kalushev. His whereabouts are unknown and it has not been established whether he is currently in Bulgaria. Information has emerged that he lived for an extended period in Mexico, though alleged involvement in illegal activities there has not been confirmed.

One of the working hypotheses examines whether the deaths were the result of an emotional confrontation rather than a premeditated act. Investigators are also considering scenarios involving ritual elements. Large numbers of legally owned weapons and drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras were discovered, capable of monitoring a vast area. These were reportedly used in connection with the organization’s claimed role in protecting natural areas. Its agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Water, signed in February 2022, was terminated in the summer of 2025.

Given the lodge’s proximity to the Serbian border and known migration routes, authorities are also checking whether the group may have been involved in trafficking of illegal migrants. Allegations of sexual crimes involving minors are likewise being examined. According to available information, Kalushev played a central role in organizing activities involving children.

Former senior police officials and representatives of environmental organizations have raised questions about how such a heavily secured and restricted site escaped closer scrutiny for years. Reports from locals and mountaineers indicate that access to the area was blocked by barriers, electric fences and armed guards, with extensive video surveillance in place. Some say they were turned away under the pretext that the area was forbidden.

Experts note that the victims were found outside the burned building, each with gunshot wounds to the head, most likely to the temples. Forensic examinations are expected to determine whether one of the men killed the others before taking his own life, or whether an external perpetrator was involved. The position of the bodies, the weapons and forensic traces will be key to these conclusions.

Residents of Gintsi have described the people living at the lodge as problematic and secretive, claiming that children, including school-aged girls, were present at the site. Local authorities, however, say no formal complaints were registered with them. The mayor of the village has been questioned as part of the investigation.

The Ministry of Interior has confirmed that it is examining the possible involvement of minors in the organization and assessing its sectarian characteristics. Officials also said information about the group’s members living abroad, including in Latin America, is being verified. While no arrests have been announced so far, investigators stress that all hypotheses remain open.

Authorities emphasize that the investigation is still at an early stage and caution against speculation. Autopsy results and expert analyses are expected to provide clearer answers about the sequence of events, the motive and the responsibility of those involved.