Murder Investigation Launched After Body of Missing 18-Year-Old Girl Found in Haskovo

An 18-year-old girl who had been reported missing in Haskovo has been found dead, prompting a murder investigation. The body of Magdalena Ruseva, who had not been seen since April 26, was discovered on Wednesday in an abandoned building on Amur Street in the northern part of the city.

A significant police presence was observed at the scene in the late afternoon, with investigators in protective gear entering the property. A 17-year-old boy, who was reportedly last seen with Magdalena around 4:00 a.m. on the day she went missing, has been detained for 24 hours in connection with the case.

Following an initial forensic inspection, which concluded around 6 p.m., the girl's body was transported for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Authorities had launched a search for the girl after she was declared missing on Saturday morning. During early investigations, her mobile phone was located near Rakovski Boulevard in Haskovo. At that point, police stated there was no indication of abduction.

Additional details about the case are expected to be released before noon today. Earlier this week, Ivan Rasokov, the director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Haskovo, presented data in his annual report indicating two murders and one attempted murder in the region so far in 2024. Speaking in the presence of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Rasokov had previously said there was no evidence of kidnapping in Magdalena's case but noted that she might have been hiding from her parents.