Bulgarian Police Makes 2nd Arrest in Sofia Park Murder Case

Pictured: Thousands of people flocked to honor the memory of murdered 28-year-old Yana Krasteva in the Borisova Garden on July 18, 2011. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian police have apprehended the second alleged killer of a young woman in Sofia's Central Park Borisova Gradina.

The news was reported Tuesday by Darik radio, citing their own sources.

Immediately after the murder the man, identified as Nikolay Rusinov, left the country and had been hiding in Turkey. Darik further cites its sources saying he had intentions to turn himself in.

The Interior Ministry had declined comments thus it remains unclear if Rusinov did indeed turn himself in or was arrested before that.

Plamen Trifonov, 34, had also been detained in connection with the murder.

Yana Krasteva, 28, was found dead on July 10 in Borisova Gradina. She had been beaten and then choked to death shortly after a rock concert on the Bulgarian Army Stadium the previous night.

According to the investigation, the two suspects initially attempted to rape Krasteva. However, as they tried to cover her mouth in order to mute her screams, they strangled her.

Witnesses say the young woman was last seen in a popular restaurant in the park in the company of a man whose description matches the one of Trifonov.

Meanwhile, a new group was established on Facebook in defense of Rusinov. His friends and others who know him write that he is incapable of rape and murder. There is also a picture of him with a baby in his arms.

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