Man convicted of double murder in Sofia, detained in Uzbekistan

Iliyan Todorov, convicted of a double murder which took place in front of the Solo club in Sofia, was detained at the airport of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on March 1, the prosecution service said on Monday.

Todorov was questioned on suspicion of having a fake passport when trying to fly to Istanbul. With the assistance of the competent Bulgarian authorities, it was established that he is a Bulgarian citizen declared internationally wanted with a European Arrest Warrant and an Interpol red notice.

The double murder in front of the Solo club took place on April 18, 2009, when, during an argument, Vasil Alexandrov and hockey player Kiril Vazharov, were stabbed to death. Their friend was also attacked but survived.

Todorov surrendered on April 20, 2009. He was arrested, charged, and later brought before the Sofia City Court. On December 9, 2011, Judge Rumyana Chenalova and the court she presided over acquitted him of the two murders. He went free.

In April 2013, the sentence was amended by the Sofia Appellate Court, imposing a sentence of life imprisonment. In December 2013, the Supreme Court of Cassation confirmed the life sentence, but Todorov had already left the country.

The prosecution service said that extradition documents are about to be sent in accordance with an agreement between Bulgaria and Uzbekistan, signed in 2004.

The Prosecutor's Office in Uzbekistan has initiated pre-trial proceedings for a document crime committed by Todorov (using a fake document).