Vlora police have arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with the murder of Kristian Marku on the Levan-Vlora highway on January 13 of this year. The citizen, Erald Cenaj, originally from Kukës, ended up in handcuffs.
" From the entirety of the investigative actions carried out so far by the specialists for the Investigation of Serious Crimes at the Vlora Police Department, under the direction of the prosecutor of the case, it was possible to document that the vehicle used by the perpetrator(s) for the murder of citizen Kristian Marku alias Kristian Bardhi was provided by citizen EC, born and residing in the city of Kukës ," the police said.
At the same time, during the investigation period, actions were taken and evidence was seized that serves the investigation in order to clarify the incident.
In close cooperation with the Criminal Police Department at the General Directorate of the State Police and the Vlora General Jurisdiction Prosecutor's Office, in-depth investigative actions continue to fully elucidate the incident, identify and capture the perpetrator(s).
Police investigate revenge between the Marku and Reçi tribes in Rrëshen
The revenge between the Bardhi and Reçinë Mirditë tribes is the main lead that the Vlora police are pursuing in the murder of Kristjan Marku. The 30-year-old, also known as Kristi Bardhi, was killed in an assassination attempt on the evening of January 14 on the Vlora-Fier highway.
The young man from Rrëshen was traveling in his vehicle when unidentified individuals shot him with 11 pistol bullets, while they had ambushed him at the Novosela underpass.
The perpetrators, suspected to have been three people, approached the Volkswagen Passat car where Mark was traveling alone and shot at him with a "Glock" pistol or a "Shars" type automatic weapon.
Kristjan Marku took three of the bullets into his body and died on the spot. After the perpetrators shot him, the victim's vehicle made uncontrolled movements for 400 meters and crashed into the traffic divider.
After carrying out the attack, the perpetrators burned their Golf vehicle about a kilometer from the scene and are believed to have fled in another vehicle. Verifications revealed that the perpetrators' car had stolen license plates.
Along with the Vlora police, Lezha police agents have also collaborated in the investigation, as immediately after the murder, searches were carried out in several apartments of the Reçi family in Rrëshen.
It is learned that 4 members of this tribe were taken to the police station for questioning and after denying any knowledge of the young man's murder, they were released again.
Kristjan Marku is a person with a criminal record, arrested for attempted murder and illegal possession of a weapon. However, at the end of the investigation, no evidence was found against him and he was not convicted.
In March 2023, he was suspected of shooting Saimir Reçi, the nephew of Kastriot Reçi, the latter killed by a sniper in Rrëshen in 2020. From that shooting two years ago, Sajmir Reçi escaped after driving in an armored car.
A few months later, in Rrëshen, Kristjan's uncle Martin Bardhi was murdered. This murder is still unsolved.