SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgarian police and prosecutors have opened an urgent investigation after six people were found dead in two remote sites in the western Balkan Mountains over the past week, according to a Reuters report. The Bulgaria mountain deaths include three men discovered near a lodge by Petrohan Pass and three more people — including a 15-year-old boy — found in a camper van near Okolchitsa Peak, with investigators weighing scenarios ranging from suicide to murder-suicide, Feb. 10, 2026.
Authorities say the first scene unfolded after an emergency call reported a fire at the Petrohan-area lodge. When responders arrived, they found three men dead with gunshot wounds and the building damaged by flames, officials said. Investigators later recovered weapons and ballistic evidence near the bodies and began mapping movements in the hours leading up to the killings.
A second triple-death discovery followed several days later in rugged terrain beneath Okolchitsa Peak, where police found a camper van with three bodies inside. Officials said evidence suggests shots were fired from inside the vehicle and weapons were found at the scene. The victims are believed to be connected to the Petrohan deaths, Bulgarian authorities said.
Bulgaria mountain deaths: what police say happened at Petrohan and Okolchitsa
At a briefing, officials said they have launched two pre-trial proceedings and ordered extensive forensic work, including analysis of surveillance video, electronic devices and ballistics, the Bulgarian News Agency reported. Investigators said they have prioritized two working versions: homicide followed by suicide, or suicide only.
Authorities have also released surveillance footage from cameras near the Petrohan lodge showing the group interacting on Feb. 1, followed later by images consistent with the lodge being deliberately set on fire, according to Bulgaria’s public broadcaster BNT. Forensic experts have said the gunshot wounds appear to have been inflicted from extremely close range.
Bulgaria mountain deaths investigation focuses on motives, timelines and the group’s background
National Police Chief Zahari Vaskov called the case “without comparison” in Bulgaria, while prosecutors cautioned that early conclusions could compromise the investigation. Deputy appellate prosecutor Natalia Nikolova said investigators are working with evidence that supports “murder-suicide and suicide” as leading theories, according to Reuters.
Police have said five of the six dead were linked to a nature-protection organization that operated out of the lodge, while the sixth victim was a 15-year-old boy. International coverage has spotlighted the unusual two-scene timeline — and the lack of clear motive — with one prosecutor likening the mystery to the TV series “Twin Peaks,” as reported by CBS News.
While the Bulgaria mountain deaths appear to involve firearms rather than weather-related exposure, Bulgaria’s mountain regions have a history of deadly incidents that typically stem from natural hazards and accidents. Past winters have brought fatal avalanches, including one that killed skiers in the Pirin Mountains during severe weather, as reported by Al Jazeera, and another avalanche death on Pirin Mountain detailed by The Associated Press. In a separate case last year, a tourist died after a fall at the Bansko ski resort, the AP reported.
For now, investigators say the Bulgaria mountain deaths case remains open, with autopsy work, digital forensics and witness interviews continuing. Officials have urged patience as evidence is tested and timelines are confirmed.
