Suspect in Bulgarian Murder of Israeli Professor Knew Victim, May Have Sought Assets

By מאיה כהן

Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba

CenterNeutral tone

Hebrew · 4 newsrooms covering

An Israeli man was arrested in Bat Yam on suspicion of murdering Israeli professor Andrey Atanasov in Sofia, Bulgaria, on October 15. Investigators are examining a potential financial motive, as the suspect reportedly knew the 83-year-old professor and may have sought to control his assets. The suspect is awaiting extradition to Bulgaria for further proceedings.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

A 32-year-old Israeli man was arrested in Bat Yam for the murder of Professor Andrey Atanasov in Bulgaria.
The suspect reportedly knew the 83-year-old professor and may have sought to seize his assets.
Professor Atanasov was beaten to death at a Sofia metro station on October 15.
The suspect is awaiting extradition to Bulgaria for further investigation.
Authorities are exploring a possible financial motive for the murder.

Suspect in Bulgarian Murder of Israeli Professor Knew Victim, May Have Sought Assets — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israeli police arrested a 32-year-old man from Bat Yam on Tuesday, following an international arrest warrant, in connection with the murder of Israeli professor Andrey Atanasov in Sofia, Bulgaria. Atanasov, 83, was beaten to death at a Sofia metro station on October 15, about a month before the suspect's arrest in Israel. Investigators are exploring a possible financial motive, including whether the murder was linked to an attempt to seize Atanasov's assets. The suspect reportedly knew Atanasov, who owned property in Israel, and lived near the professor's family in Bat Yam. Authorities are not currently investigating any evidence that the suspect was sent by someone else to commit the murder, and the circumstances remain under investigation. Atanasov, a long-time lecturer in biology at Sofia University, was brutally attacked in a metro station elevator and later died from his injuries. Security camera footage from the scene has been collected by authorities. The suspect is expected to appear in court on Sunday for an extradition hearing to Bulgaria.