Israel Seeks to Extend Detention of Suspect in Bulgarian Professor's Murder

Israel's State Prosecutor's Office has requested a 20-day extension of detention for Shamil Loev, a 32-year-old Bat Yam resident accused in Bulgaria of the aggravated murder of 83-year-old Professor Andrei Atanasov. Investigators believe a property dispute concerning the victim's sister's apartment may have been the motive. Professor Atanasov was severely beaten on October 15, 2026, in an elevator at the Joliot-Curie metro station in Sofia, Bulgaria. He was hospitalized in critical condition and later died. Loev, who had left Bulgaria, was arrested in Israel on November 13 under an international warrant.

According to documents submitted by the prosecution on Sunday, November 15, Loev arrived in Bulgaria the day before the murder. He flew to Thessaloniki, Greece, on the morning of October 14, rented a car, and drove to Bulgaria. Bulgarian investigators allege that Loev attacked Atanasov in the metro station elevator around 1:10 PM on October 15, inflicting numerous severe blows to the head and upper body, causing a fatal brain injury. The Israeli prosecution highlighted the extreme brutality of the crime, noting the victim's extensive injuries indicated significant suffering and exceptional cruelty.

Evidence suggests Atanasov had feared for his life prior to the attack, having been threatened by his sister's neighbor, who managed her affairs and allegedly had a conflict over her apartment. Investigators believe Loev was this neighbor and may have intended to seize Atanasov's property. Several neighbors reportedly saw Loev near Atanasov's home on the day of the murder, and one neighbor photographed Loev and his car, providing the images to police. Two witnesses identified Loev from photographs.

CCTV footage reportedly shows Atanasov heading to the metro station with a purple suitcase and a black bag, followed by Loev. Shortly after the attack, Loev is seen leaving the scene with a black bag similar to the professor's; only the purple suitcase was found at the crime scene. A witness described seeing two men enter the elevator, an elderly man with a purple suitcase and a younger man in dark clothing and a black knit cap. She heard heavy blows shortly after and then saw the younger man leave alone.

Loev allegedly returned his rental car in Thessaloniki at 6:24 PM on the same day and flew back to Israel. Bulgarian prosecutors issued an indictment against him in absentia for aggravated murder on October 17 and requested his arrest for extradition in early November. The Israeli prosecution seeks to extend Loev's detention to allow Bulgarian authorities time to submit a formal extradition request. The documents also note Loev holds both Israeli and Russian citizenship, and prosecutors fear he might flee to Russia if released, as Russia does not extradite its citizens.