Atlas Twp.-The sound of gunshots piercing the night alerted an township man and his girlfriend to trouble that would end with one man dead just days before Christmas.
Detective Sgt. Joe Parks of the Genesee County Sheriff Department said authorities were alerted to a possible home invasion in the 9000 block of S. Irish Road at about 10:35 p.m. on Dec. 23.
Parks said the homeowner, 41, and his girlfriend, 41, reported hearing the gunshots, followed by the noise of a window shattering in the home.
The sound was apparently caused by the woman’s ex-husband, Stoyan Novarkov, who authorities believe to have been stalking the home for a couple months, said Parks. The 51-year-old Sterling Heights man had parked his car about half a mile from the house, entering the property from a wooded area, said Parks.
At that point Novarkov used a 9 mm semi-automatic weapon to fire two rounds into the side of the house, before using a bottle to smash through a window, said Parks.
A neighbor who asked to remain anonymous spoke with The Citizen a few days after the shooting.
‘The shooting started at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night,? he said. ‘A few minutes later we heard more shots. Soon after that, the road filled up with police cars. We thought it was a police chase.?
The neighbor said he was not initially concerned about the gunshots.
‘We live near the Grand Blanc Huntsman’s Club so we’re used to hearing gunfire,? he said.
As the couple ran upstairs to hide in a room and call 9-1-1, Novarkov crawled in the window? at some point hitting the release for his weapon’s magazine which then dropped to the floor, possibly without his knowledge, said Parks. Parks added some weapons won’t fire without a magazine in place.
Parks said the homeowner, who was armed with an AK-47 can be heard in tapes from the 9-1-1 call saying he saw a white male stalking up the stairs with a gun, and he would have to shoot the man.
As Novarkov was about to enter the room where the couple was hiding, the homeowner shot the intruder, striking him in the abdomen, said Parks.
Novarkov was taken to Genesys Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Parks said it is likely he died almost instantly from the gunshot.
The neighbor said that at about midnight K-9 units were searching the wooded area just east of the homes which border Irish Road. Parks said the dogs were used to locate Novarkov’s vehicle.
‘The police told us to stay in our homes that a search was going-on in the woods behind our house with dogs,? the neighbor said. ‘We’ve lived here for about 10 years and have never had any problems.?
Authorities didn’t find a suicide note or anything particularly out of the ordinary when searching Novarkov’s apartment, said Parks. However, it was discovered the man was cleaning out his bank account and had written a check in the amount of $28,300, to be given to the daughter he had with his ex-wife. The couple had been divorced five years.
‘The case will be forwarded to the will be forwarded to prosecutor’s office for review,? said Parks.
Parks said citizens are entitled to defend themselves from harm in their home. The legality of the situation revolves around ‘what a reasonable and prudent person would consider self defense,? said Parks. ‘You have a right to defend your family from a threat of violence,? he added.
Randy Petrides, chief assistant to the Genesee County prosecutor, said the investigation report from the sheriff’s department has not yet been presented to the prosecutor’s office.
‘When we receive the sheriff’s report we will do an investigation factually and legally,? said Petrides. ‘Primarily we look at just what exactly happened and whether there is legal justification.?
‘We don’t want to prejudge it,? said Petrides. ‘It’s just a matter of the process proceeding in the normal fashion, these things do take some time.?
Editor David Fleet also contributed to this story.