What happened
According to the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, Nikolova and Stanev were at home during the night of June 22 into June 23, 2017. Prosecutors said an argument developed in the early morning and that Stanev fatally attacked Nikolova inside the residence.
The official prosecution account described multiple injuries and characterized the homicide as committed in an especially painful manner and with particular cruelty. This case file does not reproduce graphic forensic detail beyond what is necessary to explain the legal classification.
Investigation and charges
The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office brought Stanev to trial for Nikolova's murder under Bulgaria's aggravated-homicide provisions. He was also prosecuted for unlawful possession of high-risk narcotics found in the apartment.
Those two offenses are kept separate here. The drug conviction formed part of the criminal case, but it is not presented as a motive for the homicide unless a court source specifically establishes that connection.
The first-instance conviction
On November 3, 2017, Sofia City Court found Stanev guilty and imposed a sentence of 25 years in prison. The prosecution publicly described the murder conviction as involving especially cruel conduct toward Nikolova.
That 25-year figure was not the final sentence. Crime by Region therefore does not stop the chronology at the first-instance judgment.
Appeal and final sentence
The Sofia Court of Appeal later modified the punishment. On January 14, 2019, Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation issued Decision No. 254 in criminal case No. 836/2018, leaving the appellate judgment in force.
The final punishment was 22 years and 6 months of imprisonment. The Supreme Court's press office stated on January 23, 2019 that the ruling was final and that prosecutors had begun steps to execute the sentence.
Domestic-violence context
Bulgarian reporting after Nikolova's death discussed earlier complaints and allegations of violence involving Stanev. Those reports are relevant social context, but this page does not use them to invent uncharged conduct or to expand the criminal findings beyond the final judgment.
The verified core of this dossier is narrower: Nikolova was killed in Sofia in June 2017; Stanev was convicted; and the final sentence after appellate review was 22 years and 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
Who was convicted of killing Viola Nikolova?
Stefan Stanev was convicted of Nikolova's murder.
What sentence did he first receive?
Sofia City Court initially imposed 25 years in prison in November 2017.
What was the final sentence?
After appellate review, Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation left in force a sentence of 22 years and 6 months in January 2019.