I Heard Gunshots That Killed My Ivana

I definitely think that was not the right motive and reason for the murder. It cannot be revenge after 13 years and against that person.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Seven months after the murder of Ivana Hodak, her mother Ljerka Mintas Hodak testified in the investigation of the murder before investigative judge Zdenko Posavec. She repeated that it was still unacceptable to her that a janitor from the Mladost tennis courts killed Ivana to get back at her father, attorney Zvonimir Hodak, who he held responsible for his homeless life situation, the Jutarnji list daily reported. 

- I definitely think that this was not the right motive and reason for the murder. It cannot be revenge after 13 years and against that person. The court will decide if he is the killer or not – Mintas Hodak told Jutarnji list after her testimony.

A Hodak neighbour claimed that Ivana had carried a file folder along with her handbag, but that file folder was not found when she was found killed. It is also missing from the list of items the police found.

Ljerka Mintas Hodak said she heard two loud gunshots and came out of her flat. On the landing of the first floor, she could see a woman lying, but she did not recognise Ivana. “There is a woman lying down there, call the police!” she shouted. Only when she came down the flight of stairs did she recognise it was her daughter.