Life Imprisonment Without Parole for Stanimir Rachevski, Burgas

The Burgas Appellate Court upheld the harsh sentence imposed by the District Court in Burgas, with which the defendant Stanimir Ragevski was sentenced to "life imprisonment without substitution".

The sentence is for the murders of Teodora Bahlova, a real estate broker, and construction worker Yumer Mehmed. The heinous crimes were committed in the seaside city, the press center of the Appellate Court in Burgas announced.

The case, which attracted great public interest, was considered on appeal by the defense of the defendant, which insisted on the annulment of the sentence and the recognition of Ragevski as innocent. The atmosphere in front of the courtroom was tense, with representatives of the media and relatives of the victims eagerly awaiting the development of events. However, the decision of the appellate magistrates was categorical - the appeal was rejected as unfounded, and the decision of the first instance was fully confirmed.

The court, after a thorough examination of all the facts and evidence, including witness statements, written documents, material evidence and expert opinions, has established that there are no violations of the material or procedural law that would justify a change in the sentence. It is noted that the imposed penalties are proportionate to the severity of the crimes and the personality of the perpetrator. The court's decision, set out on more than 130 pages, reflects an in-depth analysis of all aspects of the case.

The judicial act recognizes Ragevski as guilty of the premeditated murder of broker Teodora Bahlova, committed with a "Makarov" pistol on October 29, 2020 in Burgas. He is also found guilty of the premeditated murder of construction worker Yumer Mehmed, committed on August 4, 2021 with the same weapon.

In addition, Ragevski is found guilty of illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, as well as the distribution of high-risk narcotic substances. For these crimes, separate penalties of "imprisonment" have been imposed on him, with a single, most severe penalty being determined - "life imprisonment without substitution", which will be served under a special regime. The defendant was also ordered to pay compensation for non-pecuniary damages in the amount of BGN 220,000.

The decision of the Burgas Appellate Court is subject to appeal and protest to the Supreme Cassation Court. Tension reigned in front of the hall, while reporters quickly relayed the news, and the relatives of the victims tried to make sense of the consequences of this decision.

BTA recalls that real estate broker Teodora Bahlova has been missing since October 29, 2020, after leaving her home. On August 25, 2021, the remains of the woman's body were found buried in the Burgas cemetery. According to investigators, Bahlova's body spent more than three months in a drum with strong acid in a private home before being moved to a commercial facility. Subsequently, Stanimir Ragevski and his accomplice Diyan Dichev took action to conceal the crime.

Stanimir Ragevski is also charged with the murder of 28-year-old construction worker Yumer Mehmed. The young man was shot in an apartment, and then his body was dismembered. The details surrounding these murders caused shock and outrage in society.

We remind you that the District Court in Burgas imposed 4 years and 6 months in prison on Diyan Dichev on February 17, 2022 for the concealment of the remains of Teodora Bahlova and Yumer Mehmed, as well as for possession of a firearm and narcotic substances. Dichev is found guilty of having participated, together with Stanimir Ragevski, who is considered the perpetrator of the murders, in concealing the remains and erasing the traces of the crimes.