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A suspect has admitted raping and killing Bulgarian TV journalist, Viktoria Marinova, saying he did not mean to kill her.
Severin Krasimirov, 21, who was arrested over the killing of the journalist appeared in court on Friday.
He had been arrested on October 9 in Hamburg, Germany on European warrant and extradited to Bulgaria on Wednesday.
Investigators said the journalist had been raped, beaten and suffocated with her body left dumped in a park near the Danube river in Ruse on October 6.
Handcuffed and surrounded by police officers, Krassimirov, spoke to reporters in court.
“I regret it so much. I cannot believe I did it,” Krassimirov said.
It was reported that the young man’s defence lawyer had asked for the hearing to be held behind closed doors, but the court in Ruse denied the request. The lawyer joined Krassimirov after he had spoken to the media and told him to remain silent.
Prior to that, Krassimirov said he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he got into an argument with a woman he didn’t know on October 6. He said he hit her in the face and threw her into bushes, but does not remember what happened after that.
“Whatever I get, even if it is life in prison, I will serve it,” he said when asked what punishment he thought he deserved.
So far police have rejected suggestions the 30-year-old journalist’s death could be linked to her work reporting on European Union corruption.
The Bulgarian district court ordered the suspect to remain in custody until his trial.