Israeli Professor Beaten to Death in Sofia Metro, Suspect Arrested

An 83-year-old Israeli professor, Andrei Atanasov, has died in a Sofia hospital after being brutally beaten in a metro station elevator on October 15. Israeli police arrested a 32-year-old resident of Bat Yam on November 13 based on an international arrest warrant in connection with the murder in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian media initially reported the victim as a Greek citizen and suggested the motive was personal. However, Israeli police and media identified the victim as Israeli citizen Andrei Atanasov, a former lecturer at Sofia University's biology faculty. Sources within Bulgaria's Interior Ministry indicated that Atanasov, an associate professor, had known the suspect for years, and a deteriorating relationship led to a quarrel that "caused the foreigner's resentment," prompting the attack.

Surveillance footage from the scene shows the suspect waiting for Atanasov and then attacking him before they reached the elevator, with the assault continuing inside. Investigators believe a blunt object may have been used, but the cause of death was significant blood loss. Witnesses called emergency services, and Atanasov was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The suspect fled the country in a rented car, with his face obscured by a baseball cap and raised collar, and in previous days, by a medical mask. Following a request from Bulgarian authorities, Israeli police apprehended the suspect, who will now face extradition proceedings.