Hristina Stoyanova pointed out before the media that the slowness of the trial was due to the fact that the accused constantly complained about wanting to get released: ""They always wanted to get released from prison and thus stalled the trial"". In the end of October 2013, the first hearings were conducted for the case. The pleadings for the case were set for June 15, 2014. On May 21, 2013, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee asked for a second time the head prosecutor, now Sotir Tsatsarov, that the murder case be held under special circumstances.