Bulgarian Taekwondo Chief Slavi Binev Shot Dead at Sofia Home
Former Bulgarian politician and taekwondo chief Slavi Binev was shot dead at his home in Sofia at age 60. Three suspects were arrested on a highway, with police investigating a financial dispute as the likely motive.
Former politician and Bulgarian Taekwondo Federation President Slavi Binev was shot dead at his home in Sofia at the age of 60. Investigators are examining financial disputes and real estate deals as a possible motive, while three suspects have been arrested following a highway chase.
According to an investigation broadcast by Bulgarian National Television (BNT), security cameras captured a vehicle carrying the three suspects arriving at Binev's home at 9:50 AM. Twenty-eight minutes later, police received a call reporting gunfire at the scene. Responding officers found Binev dead from a close-range gunshot wound to the head. A single casing was recovered, and investigators believe one shot was fired.
The suspects were intercepted shortly afterward on the Trakia highway near the Traianovi Vrata tunnel, following a tip from a witness who saw three men fleeing in a Lexus. Two firearms were recovered during the arrest, including one allegedly thrown from the vehicle.
Two of the suspects are Turkish nationals, while the third holds Bulgarian identification. Police revealed that all three were well acquainted with Binev, had visited his home regularly, and had been there the day before the shooting. Footage showed the suspects made no attempt to conceal their faces or vehicle.
The primary investigative lead points to a financial and real estate dispute. The three suspects were involved in the construction industry and connected to a company developing residential complexes in Sofia. Binev had reportedly attempted to act as a mediator in a property dispute between some of the parties.
Acting Bulgarian Interior Ministry Secretary General Lyubomir Nikolov stated that investigators do not currently believe the incident was a contract killing. Authorities suspect an argument erupted during the visit, leading to the fatal shooting. The murder coincided with the opening of an international taekwondo tournament in Sofia, which organizers opened with a moment of silence in Binev's memory.
