Five teenagers, consisting of three boys and two girls aged between 14 and 17, have been charged with torturing and murdering a 37-year-old man in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
This case has emerged as one of the most disturbing criminal incidents in Bulgaria this year due to the extreme brutality described by prosecutors.
The minors allegedly killed Georgi Kuzev from Krichim, with the Plovdiv Court ordering their detention, according to reports.
Details of the Crime
A 17-year-old girl in the group created a fake profile on a social media platform, posing as a 15-year-old, and arranged a meeting with the 37-year-old man, who did not disguise his age during their conversations.
According to the prosecutor, the teenagers believed that the meeting was a way to confront a supposed pedophile, emulating the self-styled “pedophile hunters” active online. However, investigators have indicated that the objective was not to detain the man and alert the police, but rather to attack him.
Despite challenging the preventive measure, their request was denied by the judge, who stated that “the man begged his assailants for mercy for nearly the entire duration of the torture — lasting one hour,” as reported by Mediapool.
Assault and Robbery
According to investigators, the 37-year-old was strangled, burned with cigarettes on his skin, had his eyebrows shaved, was spat on, and had swastikas drawn on his body. He was beaten and filmed during the assault.
Ultimately, they robbed him, purchasing shawarma with the 30 euros they found on him. A recording of the horrific acts was shared on social media by one of the attackers, although it was later deleted.
The assault resulted in severe injuries: broken ribs and ruptures in the lung, liver, and kidneys, as well as a severe cranial trauma.
Kuzev managed to leave the location where he was lured by the teenagers but died a few hours later in the hospital due to his grave injuries.
During a closed court hearing, the judge indicated that there is sufficient evidence to reasonably presume that the five committed the act, without excluding the possibility of more defendants being implicated.
Judicial Observations on the Assailants’ Attitude
The judge emphasized that there is no evidence suggesting Kuzev provoked the teenagers and that, despite an online conversation having occurred, the man was lured to the meeting.
The magistrate also noted that the defendants appeared proud of their actions, sharing photos and videos of the victim online.
If convicted, those over 16 years old face prison sentences ranging from 5 to 12 years, while those under 16 face sentences between 3 and 10 years, with penalties reduced due to their age.
Georgi Kuzev worked in agriculture and was described by locals as a hardworking and non-confrontational individual. His relatives firmly rejected any claims that he was involved in offenses against children.
Defense Attorney’s Comments
Ivan Ivanov, the attorney representing one of the juveniles, commented that media influence, social networks, video games, a lack of engagement in positive activities, and inappropriate social circles contributed to the incident.
“I believe none of them intended to kill,” the lawyer was quoted by BTA.
Just a day earlier, the head of the Plovdiv police, Vasil Kostadinov, stated that the youths had no intention of reporting to the authorities that Kuzev was attempting to commit acts of pedophilia, as he was meeting with a minor; rather, they intended to “punish” him.
The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lyubomir Nikolov, remarked that there is currently no evidence suggesting that the victim exhibited such behavior, calling the horrific crime by the teenagers a “manifestation of the digital world we live in.”
