The discovery in Ruse
Marinova worked for the regional television station TVN in Ruse. On October 6, 2018, her body was found in a park near the Danube after she had gone out to exercise. Bulgarian officials said she had been assaulted, raped and killed by blows and suffocation. Her death immediately drew international attention because she was a journalist.
The Committee to Protect Journalists documented that Marinova's final broadcast had featured reporters discussing allegations of fraud involving European Union funds. That context prompted early concern over a possible professional motive, but investigators said they would examine all lines of inquiry rather than assume a connection.
DNA evidence and the arrest
Bulgarian authorities announced that physical and DNA evidence linked Severin Krasimirov, then 21, to the crime. He had left Bulgaria and was arrested in Germany on October 9 before being returned to Bulgaria. At an October 19 court appearance, he admitted attacking Marinova and expressed remorse.
Investigators and prosecutors later said the evidence indicated a spontaneous, sexually motivated attack and that they had found no evidence connecting the murder to Marinova's professional work. Crime by Region treats that conclusion as the documented prosecutorial position, while preserving the distinction between the investigation's conclusion and the wider press-freedom concerns that surrounded the case.
Guilty plea and sentence
On April 22, 2019, the Regional Court in Ruse sentenced Krasimirov to 30 years in prison after he admitted guilt and the case proceeded under a shortened trial procedure. Bulgarian National Television reported that he admitted all three charges. The court also awarded civil compensation to Marinova's family.
Contemporary Bulgarian reporting on May 9, 2019 said Krasimirov would not appeal and that neither his defense nor the prosecution had filed an appeal or protest within the statutory period. On that basis, and in the absence of evidence of a later reversal in the sources reviewed for this page, the archive records the murder as adjudicated.
Why the case drew international scrutiny
Marinova's killing occurred during a period of intense concern about violence and intimidation against journalists in Europe. CPJ called for a rigorous investigation, and major news organizations emphasized that her recent program had touched on an investigation into alleged misuse of EU funds. The eventual criminal case did not establish a work-related motive.
That distinction is important: acknowledging the journalism context explains why the murder received extraordinary attention, but it would be misleading to state that her reporting caused the crime when the investigation and prosecution said otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Who killed Viktoria Marinova?
Severin Krasimirov pleaded guilty to the rape and murder and received a 30-year prison sentence in April 2019.
Was the murder connected to her journalism?
Investigators and prosecutors said they found no evidence of a professional motive and described the attack as sexually motivated.
Did Krasimirov appeal?
Bulgarian reporting in May 2019 said he did not appeal within the legal deadline and that no prosecutorial protest was filed.