The eldest son of the former Lib-Dem deputy Ion Butmalai says his father had ambitious plans for the future and was preparing to launch a political project for the local elections. “Father didn't commit suicide. He was murdered in cold blood”, Ion Butmalai Jr. told a press conference today.

“It's true dad felt betrayed after not being included in the party's electoral list, but he finally reconciled himself to this betrayal. He had big business plans and ideas and was looking forward to spending our vacation together with the family of his best friend Alexandru Cimbriciuc, and on the eve of the tragedy he spoke with mother about going the next day to the mall to buy a Christmas tree and a guitar for my younger brother, who was making dad very proud about his academic achievements. For me, he promised to support me financially to pursue education in the Netherlands”, said Ion Butmalai Jr.

He also told reporters about a “black file folder” his father kept. “It contained a host of compromising materials which could have landed some top public officials in jail for life had dad decided to make them public. He accumulated that evidence during his tenure as secretary of the Parliament's Security Commission. After his assassination, the folder and its content was gone”.

Ion Butmalai Jr. enumerated several arguments supporting the assassination version. “His shirt didn't have burn traces typical of gunshots from short distances. Initially it was believed that he had a stroke, as he was suffering from hypertension. The police found two bullet casings, but didn't find the second bullet. The position in which he was found indicates that he was seated after being shot. The (garage) gate about which he had been obsessed to keep locked at all times was open. I really doubt the prosecutors will handle this case properly”. 

Ana Ursachi, a lawyer for the Butmalai family, told the same news conference she knew about the black folder but she wasn't aware about what it contained. “The late Ion Butmalai wanted to share its content publicly in a press conference but he decided to postpone it. As he said, it wasn't for health reasons but rather for security reasons”.

Ion Butmalai was found dead in his Cahul house on December 9. He died from a gunshot in his chest fired from a pistol he legally owned.