Croatian Chief Prosecutor Discusses Murder Case, Admits Past Procedural Lapses

Chief State Attorney Ivan Turudić addressed the recent murder in Drniš, where 19-year-old pizza deliveryman Luka Milovac was killed by Kristijan Aleksić. Aleksić, who had a history of offenses including a previous murder conviction from 1994, was apprehended after a lengthy manhunt.

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He spoke for two hours. Whether he spoke about his motives, expressed remorse, or admitted guilt, I think it's too early and I'm not allowed to tell you.

Turudić explained that Aleksić actively defended himself during a two-hour interrogation. While the State Attorney's Office has requested pre-trial detention, the decision rests with the court. Turudić expressed confidence that detention would be ordered, citing legal grounds.

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I would have requested pre-trial detention. Actually, it's easier for the deputy state attorney who handled the specific case. He leaves the decision to the court. The court is the one that will decide.

A significant point of discussion was the handling of Aleksić's illegal weapons possession case in 2023. Turudić admitted that pre-trial detention should have been sought at the time, acknowledging a lapse in judgment at a lower level of the prosecution. He revealed that an internal review of the Šibenik State Attorney's Office in October 2024 uncovered irregularities in their procedures, leading to changes in leadership within that office.

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We were controlling the Šibenik State Attorney's Office in October 2024 and noticed that the Šibenik Municipal State Attorney's Office makes mistakes in such matters, that it does not act in accordance with the law and the established practice of other attorney's offices of that rank.

Turudić also clarified the legal framework surrounding Aleksić's previous conviction. The maximum sentence for that offense was three years, and the requested one-year sentence, coupled with the three-month limit for pre-trial detention for such cases, meant Aleksić would have been released by now even if detained. This detail highlights the complexities of the Croatian legal system and the challenges in balancing justice with procedural limitations.

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For the offense for which the indictment was filed, the penalty is three years in prison, one year was requested, in accordance with recent court practice. Pre-trial detention for that offense can only last three months. So, if pre-trial detention had been ordered, the perpetrator would be free to this day.