This Thursday (June 18), the High Court in Belgrade will deliver the final verdict in the case of mass murder in the elementary school "Vladislav Ribnikar". The prosecution for the parents of the juvenile murderer, Miljana and Vladimir Kecmanović, is seeking almost the same sentences as in the first-instance verdict, which was annulled by the Court of Appeal at the end of last year.
Sentencing Milan i Vladimir Kecmanović in the repeated proceedings, it is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, at the High Court in Belgrade. The prosecution is for the parents of the minor K. K, who committed the crime on May 3, 2023 mass murder in "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School, requested sentences almost the same as in the first-instance verdict, which was canceled by the Court of Appeal at the end of last year.
Therefore, although the court's decision cannot be predicted in advance, a verdict similar to the original one is expected. For Vladimir Kecmanović, the prosecution is asking for 14 years and 11 months in prison, while for Miljana Kecmanović, a sentence of three years has been proposed again. The pronouncement of the verdict will show whether the High Court remains with the earlier assessment of the responsibility of the parents of the minor KK or whether the decision will be different in the repeated proceedings.
The trial is being repeated because the Appellate Court in November 2025 accepted the appeals of the defense and annulled the part of the sentence condemning Vladimir and Miljana Kecmanović due to a significant violation of the provisions of the criminal procedure. The case was then returned to the first instance court for retrial.
Vladimir Kecmanović's detention was extended until a new verdict is passed, while Miljana Kecmanović is defending herself from freedom.
Vladimir Kecmanović is charged with a serious offense against general safety and neglect and abuse of a minor. Miljana Kecmanović was accused of neglecting and abusing a minor, while she was acquitted of the illegal production, possession, carrying and trafficking of weapons and explosive substances.
The closing arguments in the repeated proceedings were presented on June 10 and 11 before the High Court in Belgrade.
Chief Public Prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade Nenad Stefanovic proposed that Vladimir Kecmanović be sentenced to 14 years and 11 months in prison, and Miljana Kecmanović to three years. He stated that there were no extenuating circumstances on the part of the defendants, because, as he said, the deaths of 10 people were due to their omissions.
Stefanović also pointed out that the Kecmanovićs did not express remorse during the proceedings, but categorically denied guilt and any responsibility for the crime committed by their son.
The prosecutor, speaking about the father of the minor K. K, said that there were no mitigating circumstances for him and assessed that he had put himself in the position of the victim throughout the trial. Regarding Miljana Kecmanović, he stated that she spoke from a distance, without empathy, and that she did not show awareness of the pain and suffering of the victims' families.
In his closing speech, Vladimir Kecmanović claimed that he and his wife were caring parents and that he does not know how the mass murder happened.
The lawyer of Miljana and Vladimir Kecmanović, Irina Borović, stated after the closing remarks that she hopes that the new court decision "will not be similar to the previous one". She also added that minor K. K, who committed mass murder, is not prosecuting his parents.
Ognjen Božović, the attorney for the injured parties, after presenting the closing arguments, said that the decision of the court remains to be waited for, which he estimated would be important for the future of society.
"We have to wait for the court's decision, which will be very important for the future of our society, for how the court will characterize the behavior of the parents and the attitude towards the children, because it is something that all of us as parents must have in relation to our children, because in that way, in essence, we have an attitude towards the future of this society," said Božović.
The repeated proceedings against Kecmanović began at the end of January this year and, at the request of the prosecution, were closed to the public in order to protect the interests of minors and the privacy of the injured parties. According to the court's decision, the presentation of the final words was public.
Regardless of the outcome of the proceedings against the parents, the fact remains that the juvenile KK for the mass murder at the "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School cannot be held criminally responsible, because he was less than 14 years old at the time of the crime.
On May 3, 2023, KK killed 9 students and a school guard, and wounded five students and a history teacher.
Sources: N1, Insider, Blic
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