Crimeupdated 27m ago2 min read
MapIsrael Police Arrest Bat Yam Suspect in Bulgaria Murder of Andrey Atanasov, 83
“Authorities are examining whether the suspect, a resident of Bat Yam, may have been motivated by a desire to gain control of the 83-year-old professor's money or property.”
“The motive for the attack was not officially confirmed at the initial stage of the investigation.”
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
32-year-old Bat Yam resident arrested in Israel over involvement in Atanasov murder in Bulgaria. 83-year-old Andrey Atanasov, Sofia University biology professor, beaten to death in Sofia metro.
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Arrest in Bat Yam
Israel Police arrested a 32-year-old resident of Bat Yam on suspicion of involvement in the murder of 83-year-old Andrey Atanasov in Bulgaria on October 14, 2026, after Atanasov was beaten to death in an elevator at the Joliot-Curie metro station in Sofia. Atanasov was found critically hurt in the elevator on October 15 and died of his wounds several hours later, and Bulgarian authorities opened a murder investigation under the supervision of the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel detained the suspect on the basis of a temporary warrant pending extradition to Bulgaria, and Israel Police said the suspect was arrested by officers from the Ayalon crime-fighting unit of the Tel Aviv district pursuant to an international arrest warrant. Israel Police said detectives from the Ayalon Crime Fighting Unit worked with the Operational Coordination Department of the Israel Police Intelligence Division, the International Affairs Department of the State Attorney's Office, and Bulgarian police, and the suspect was expected to appear before an Israeli court as part of proceedings to extradite him to Bulgarian law enforcement authorities.
Motive and evidence lines
Investigators explored whether the killing was motivated by a personal dispute, with suspicions centering on a financial disagreement, but the motive was not officially confirmed in initial reports. Authorities were examining whether the suspect may have been motivated by a desire to gain control of the 83-year-old professor's money or property, and it described Atanasov as owning property in Israel.
The Times of Israel said local media previously reported that Atanasov and the suspect had known each other for years and that the attack occurred following a "personal conflict," while it also said the cause of death was listed as profound blood loss and that, as of October 17, no forensic report had been published. Investigators collected surveillance camera footage from the area surrounding the metro station and examined the circumstances of the attack, and it added that Bulgarian police initially identified a suspect as a Greek national before later searching for a foreign national suspected of involvement who had fled the country and was declared wanted.
Extradition path and next steps
Israel Police said the suspect was arrested on Saturday and expected to appear before an Israeli court as part of proceedings to extradite him to Bulgarian law enforcement authorities. The suspect was expected to appear in court Sunday morning for a detention hearing as Israeli authorities proceeded with extradition to Bulgaria, and it described the arrest as following a joint investigation involving Israeli and Bulgarian police and the international department of the Israel's State Attorney's Office.
The Jerusalem Post said Israeli authorities obtained a provisional arrest warrant for the purpose of extradition, and it described the operation as conducted in cooperation with Bulgarian police. Bulgarian media reported that the suspect fled the scene in a rental car and left the country before police could detain him, and it said police later identified him through footage from nearby security cameras.