Chapter 5
### FORGOTTEN JUSTICE: THE BITTER REALIZATION
The months following the murder of Martin the Notary slipped by slowly but relentlessly. The initial media noise and the loud promises from the Ministry of Interior and the prosecutor's office for a "fast and uncompromising investigation" gradually faded into silence. For our characters, who had witnessed both his power and his death, the bitter realization that the killer would not be caught and that the truth would remain hidden came as no surprise. It was just another sad confirmation of everything they already knew about this country.
Months Later: The Fog Over the Truth
In the beginning, there was hope. Or at least, it seemed that way. All those television reports, briefings, and arrests of "involved persons" created an illusion of action. But it soon became clear that everything was merely a facade.
Yordan, the elderly passerby, shook his head every time he heard something about the "investigation." "There, didn't I tell you," he muttered to himself. "They will make some noise, meddle around, talk a bit, and in the end – nothing. Zero. As always." For him, this was just another production, a well-known script that had been repeated for decades. He remembered how the Notary's blue beacons used to crush everyone on the road, and now those who were supposed to uncover his killer seemed to have crushed themselves. Nobody knew who killed him or why. Everything sank into the fog.
Petko, the taxi driver, had given up listening to the news about the murder. "Forget it!", he said to Ivan over the radio. "They won't solve it. Never. For people like the Notary, the truth is too big and too inconvenient. They let him do whatever he wanted, and now they are going to investigate him? Ha-ha! Hilarious!" His disgust had turned into apathy, but an apathy filled with contempt. For him, the whole story was proof of the helplessness of the "authorities," or rather, of their complicity.
The Despair of Youth
Eva, the law student, experienced all of this with much greater pain. She followed the news feverishly, looking for every detail, every new development. And every time, she hit a brick wall. No breakthroughs, no concrete results. Just empty words and promises.
"It's not possible!", she uttered aloud, her voice raspy with despair. "How can they know nothing? How can there be no clues? How can there be no discoveries? It's obvious! They just don't want to solve it! Or they don't dare!"
For her, this unsolved murder was a fatal blow to her faith in justice. She saw that Bulgaria was not just a place where rules were broken, but a place where justice was dead. Her dream of "European law" was crumbling before her eyes. She wanted to scream: "Are you the justice system? Are you the ones who are supposed to protect us? You can't even solve a murder when everyone knows who committed it – or at least who ordered it!" She felt cheated, betrayed by the system she was supposedly studying to serve.
Ivan and Petko, the boys who had judged the Notary's convoy with childish straightforwardness, now simply nodded with understanding. "Didn't I tell you, Petko," Ivan said. "They aren't solving it. Because these are their people. Or because they paid them."
"We have to run away, Ivancho," Petko whispered. "We must run to Spain or Germany. There is nothing for us here. Only filth, lies, and fear. To protect themselves, they won't reveal the killer. This country has no future if even the death of Lucifer changes nothing."
In the end, months after the gangland execution of Martin the Notary, the only result was an even deeper alienation of society from the justice system. The Ministry of Interior and the prosecutor's office, despite all their statements, failed (or refused) to uncover the killer. The truth remained hidden, swallowed by the fog of doubt and cynicism. And for our characters, this was yet another piece of evidence that they lived in a country where normalcy is a luxury and justice is a mirage that will never be reached. Will light ever appear in this dark Bulgarian theater?
15m
### THE DEATH OF LUCIFER: PANIC IN THE HELL OF JUSTICE
The murder of Martin the Notary on January 31, 2024, was not just another criminal act in Sofia. It was like a sudden hammer blow to a finely tuned but rotten machine that had been operating for years in the shadows of Bulgarian justice. For those who were part of it, for those whom the Notary had placed in positions, fed with money, and used for his dirty deeds, his death caused real, animal panic. Not panic from grief, but horror of exposure.
Feverish Activity: The Police in Shock
In the Chief Directorate "National Police," where until recently they were admired by the "crushing" of the Notary on the streets, chaos now reigned. The head of the duty shift, the very same one who until recently smoked cigarette after cigarette and admired "Lucifer," was now running around like crazy.
"Shut everything down!", he screamed into the phone. "All the files! Let nothing remain! Let nothing leak about... about him!" His voice was full of fear. His colleagues, who minutes ago dreamed of getting drunk at the Notary's club, now stared at the monitors with icy horror. They all knew how deeply they were connected to him – some through a favor, some through a "missed" signal, some through direct cover-up.
In the Sofia Metropolitan Directorate of Interior (SDVR), the situation was no different. The "bosses" there, who until recently spoke cynically about how the Notary "ruled the judiciary with an iron fist," were now pale as a sheet. "Assemble everyone! Right now!", screamed one of them, his plump hands trembling as he tried to light another cigarette. "Warn them to get rid of all... all their 'extras'! Cars, accounts, everything that isn't clean! Let no trace remain!" The feeling that they could be next was palpable. Everyone was thinking: "Did he know something about me? Is there something that will surface now?"
In the district police stations, a quiet but perceptible panic also set in. The police officers who had executed the Notary's orders – from small "favors" to serious "pressure" on certain individuals – began feverishly reviewing official notes, deleting electronic correspondence, and "cleaning" every trace. They were closest to the "dirty" work, and their fear was the greatest.
In the Chief Directorate "Combatting Organized Crime" (GDBOP), which was supposed to investigate people like the Notary, tension also reigned. Some of the operational workers who had had indirect or even direct contact with him suddenly began getting "sick" or going on leave. Old cases were feverishly reviewed to see if there were any compromising data related to the name of the murdered man.
The Judicial System: Club 777 in Panic
The greatest shock was experienced by the judicial system. In the courts and among the judges who were members of Martin the Notary's private club "777" and held VIP passes for it, a true apocalypse set in.
Judge Georgiev, who until recently bragged about his boarding card, was now burning it in the ashtray of his office. "It's over! The end of everything!", he whispered, covered in cold sweat. "This man knew absolutely everything about me! About the cases, about the money, about... about everything!" He called colleagues frantically, who were also part of the "club."
Judge Petrova, on the other hand, known for her strict appearance in the courtroom, was now crying hysterically in the court restroom. "It's over for us!", she murmured through tears. "He was supposed to protect us! And now? Now everything will come to light! All the contract verdicts! The money!"
Everyone who had "boarding cards" for the club began feverishly destroying them, deleting contacts, and getting rid of "gifts" and "favors." The fear was palpable – fear not of the Notary's death, but of their own exposure.
Prosecutorial Horror: Communication from Hell
Throughout the entire prosecutor's office – from the district to the Supreme – the prosecutors who were appointed by Martin the Notary, whom he had paid to lead contract cases, fell into shock.
Prosecutor Ivanov, until recently arrogant and self-confident, did not dare to pick up his phone. "What am I going to do?", he murmured while deleting his call history. "He had everything recorded! Everything! Now it will surface! All the money, all the instructions..."
Prosecutor Dimitrova, who had received a rapid promotion thanks to the Notary, now sat with a piece of paper in her hand, feverishly writing down accounts that she needed to urgently withdraw or transfer. "Nobody must know about this money! Nobody!", she whispered.
The dialogues over the phone were fragmented, filled with nervousness and paranoia:
* "Hello? Did you hear?"
* "I heard. What do we do?"
* "We clean! Everything! Absolutely everything!"
* "Do you think something will come out?"
* "I don't know! But we must be prepared! Do you know how much this guy knew?!"
* "What about the money? Where do I hide it?"
* "Hide it! Hide everything! Cars, accounts, everything!"
* "Could we be next? I have done... you know..."
* "We have all done things! That's why shut up! And clean!"
The panic was not because of the death of the Notary as a human being. It was because of the fear of exposure of their own actions, for which Martin had paid them. The fear and horror caused by this death were bred by the thought that they could be the next victims because of the crimes they had committed. They began feverishly hiding money, transferring accounts, selling valuables and expensive cars, turning into shadows haunted by their own sins. Lucifer was dead, but the hell he had created was now beginning to swallow his servants.
16m
### ECHOES OF DEATH: HOW SOFIA SPOKE OF THE PANIC IN THE SHADOWS
The death of Martin the Notary was like a stone thrown into a swamp. The initial excitement, the media orgy, then the silence. But beneath the surface, in the urban niches, among the people who were direct witnesses to his insolence, something else began to pulse – understanding. An understanding of the panic that gripped those who until recently felt untouchable. Because the information, although incomplete, slowly leaked out, carried in whispers through cafes, phone calls, and secret forum discussions.
Yordan's Realization: "Those Guys Are Going to Wet Themselves from Fear"
Yordan, the elderly passerby who had seen so many "new" and "old" dignitaries crush everyone on the streets, sat on a park bench, shaking his head. Next to him, Petko, the taxi driver, smoked a cigarette nervously.
"Did you see, Petko?", Yordan said in a quiet but insightful voice. "Didn't I tell you they won't solve it. But do you know why? Because those guys are going to wet themselves from fear right now!"
Petko laughed bitterly. "You're right, old Yordan. This morning I heard on the radio that they are supposedly investigating... But who is going to investigate whom? Weren't they with him? I tell you, they are trembling now! Everyone is thinking: 'Hey, what did this guy know about me?'"
"Exactly!", Yordan exclaimed. "You hear what they say on the forums. It was about huge corruption. About judges, prosecutors, police officers… Everyone who has touched this Notary is probably hiding their money and accounts now. They are probably even hiding their wives, so nothing comes to light!"
"I think so too," Petko added. "Those who drove around with beacons and thought they were gods are now like mice. A pitiful sight, huh?"
Eva's Bitter Truth: "What Will These People Do Without Their Puppeteer?"
Eva, the law student, sat in the student cafe. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with anxiety. She was talking to another colleague of hers – Silvia.
"Silve, I can't believe what is happening," Eva said, her voice almost a whisper. "You understand that it's panic in the Ministry of Interior, the prosecutor's office, the court right now? All those who were connected to him… The ones he appointed, the ones he paid…"
Silvia nodded. "Well, yes. Now what will these people do without their puppeteer? They are probably hiding everything so they don't get exposed. They don't have panic from his death, but from their own filth coming out."
"Exactly that!", Eva exclaimed. "Did you hear that there is talk about some club '777' where judges had VIP passes? Can you imagine?! Judges! People who are supposed to apply the law! And they were part of this!"
"Everything is known, Eva," Silvia said with a grim look. "It's whispered on the forums. People are no longer so naive. They understand that this is not just a murder, but the decay of a system. Those who benefited are now terrified that they could be next, not because of some killer, but because of their own crimes."
Eva sighed. "It's sad, Silve. Very sad. We dream of European law, but we live in such a... such a hell. And the worst thing is that their fear is only for their own behinds, not for justice."
Childish Insight: "They Are Afraid of Everything Coming to Light"
Ivan and Petko, the boys, talked over the phone with Kosta and Ognyan.
"Did you hear?", Ivan asked. "That in the police and the prosecutor's office it has become terrible! Everyone is hiding something!"
"Uh-huh, I heard too," replied Kosta. "My mother said that colleagues of her father are transferring money between accounts."
"Didn't we tell you!", Petko joined in. "They are afraid of everything coming to light! That's why they moved like that – because they are afraid of their own shadow!"
Ognyan laughed. "Can you imagine? People so important, with expensive cars and beacons, and now they are trembling like leaves! They are pathetic!"
"That's why the killer won't be revealed, right?", Ivan asked. "To keep all their filth from coming out."
"Exactly!", Petko replied. "They think they could be next because of the crimes they committed. That's why they will hide it. That's why they will run away if they can. They have no future here. Just like us, if we don't run."
In their conversations lay an innocent but extremely shrewd understanding of the scale of corruption and fear that had gripped the power structures. The murder of the Notary had shaken the foundations of their perverted world, and they, the ordinary people, watched with a mixture of disgust, sadness, and bitter satisfaction. Sofia breathed a sigh of relief that one "Lucifer" had fallen, but at the same time knew that many other servants of his were still hiding in the shadows, gripped by panic.
17m
### THE DEATH OF THE NOTARY: THE MEDIA SAGA OF A MURDERED PUPPETEER
The murder of Martin Bozhanov, known as the Notary, on January 31, 2024, shortly before 19:30 in the luxury Sofia neighborhood of Gorna Banya, was not just criminal news. It shook Bulgaria to its core, unlocking an avalanche of media publications, analyses, and revelations that continue months later. From the very beginning, the media did not just report the event, but began to untangle the complex web of connections and dependencies that built the image of the Notary as a key figure in judicial corruption.
The Beginning: Shock and First Guesses (January - February 2024)
The first hours after the murder were marked by a media orgy. All major television stations – BNT, bTV, Nova TV – switched to breaking news mode, broadcasting live from the crime scene. Information agencies and online portals spewed news and versions minute by minute. The name "Martin Bozhanov - The Notary" instantly became a central topic, and the focus quickly shifted from the act of murder itself to the personality of the victim and his connections.
The first media hypotheses about the killer and the motives gravitated around:
* Settling Scores: The most widespread version was that the Notary had become the victim of a criminal act related to his activities. He was pointed out as a mediator in property scams, extortion, and racketeering. The media described schemes in which he helped in "acquiring" properties, pressing businesses, and ensuring favorable judicial decisions. The murder was interpreted as a settling of scores by his "partners" or "victims."
* A Witness Who Knew Too Much: Another strong version was that the Notary had been liquidated because he knew too much about high-ranking figures in the judicial system, politics, or business. His death was interpreted as a "gagging" so that he could not give testimony or reveal compromising information.
* Clash of Interests: The media did not rule out the possibility of a conflict between different groups or centers of influence in which the Notary played a role.
Deeper Revelations: Connections in the Judicial System (March - October 2024)
After the initial shock, the media began to untangle the deeper web of the Notary's connections, with the main emphasis falling on his activities within the judicial system. The publications became more analytical, based on journalistic investigations, leaked documents, and witness testimonies.
Key topics that the media developed during these months:
* Club "SS" (or "777", "Eight Dwarfs"): A widely discussed topic was the existence of an informal club alleged to have been created by the Notary, functioning as a meeting and arrangement place between him and magistrates – judges, prosecutors, and investigators. The media described how these meetings took place in a secret club, and the Notary distributed "boarding cards" for VIP access. This was presented as a direct channel of influence over court cases and the appointment of "convenient" people to key positions.
* Appointment and Staffing: A major accusation against the Notary, widely deployed in the media, was that he actively participated in the staffing and appointment of magistrates in the Sofia Regional Court, the Sofia Regional Prosecutor's Office, and other judicial institutions. It was claimed that he lobbied for certain candidates, paid for "correct" decisions, and created a network of people dependent on him in the system. Journalistic investigations brought out facts about the rapid career growth of certain individuals who had been connected to him.
* Contract Cases and Extortion: The media repeatedly reiterated that the Notary used his connections to "order" or "stop" court cases. Cases of pressing debtors, extorting businessmen, and manipulating trials to his advantage or the advantage of his clients were described.
* Uninvestigated Signals: The public was shocked by media revelations about numerous signals against the Notary and his schemes that for years had remained uninvestigated or suppressed by the prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Interior. This fueled the thesis of his exceptional "untouchability" and the depth of corruption in the system.
Who Killed Him? The Constant Question
Despite months of investigation and media publications, a concrete perpetrator or mastermind behind the murder of Martin the Notary had not been officially announced and revealed up to the present moment (early June 2025). The media continues to repeat the main hypotheses, but without definitive proof.
During these months, the emphasis gradually shifted from the killer himself to the system that allowed the existence of a figure like the Notary. The media began to talk more and more about the need for reforms in the judicial system, for rooting out corruption, and for breaking the vicious links between the underworld, business, and justice.
In the end, the media saga over the death of the Notary became a catalyst for a broader public debate about the state of Bulgarian justice, the influence of shadow figures, and the chronic inability of the state to deal with high-level corruption. The question "Who killed him?" remained without a clear answer, but the revelations about "who he was and how he worked" left a lasting mark on the public consciousness.
18m
