The Criminal Council of the Skopje 1 Court of General Jurisdiction handed down life sentences to six defendants and acquitted of guilt one defendant in the Monster murder case on Monday. Alil Demiri, Afrim Ismailovic, Agim Ismailovic, Fejzi Aziri, Haki Aziri and Sami Luta were found guilty of murdering five men, four of whom boys aged 18-21,  at Lake Smilkovci on 12 April 2012, while Sejdi Rami was acquitted of the murder charges for lack of evidence.

The verdict against Alil Demiri and Afrim Ismailovic was reached in their absence considering they are serving time in Kosovo for illegal possession of weapons. However, the Macedonian public has not yet been told what prison in Kosovo they are being held. Former Justice Minister Blerim Bexheti refused for a whole month to sign the request for their extradition and provided it to the authorities in Kosovo on 20 December 2012, the same day when the trial in Skopje began.