Josef Cuko was an Albanian citizen and the older or younger brother (exact birth order unclear) of Ditbardh Cuko, forming one of Albania’s most notorious criminal pairs. Very little is publicly documented about Josef’s personal life, including his date of birth, upbringing, or occupation. However, what is certain is that he and his brother would become forever tied to one of the most horrifying crimes in post-communist Albania.

During the early 1990s, Albania was undergoing an intense period of political and economic instability following the fall of its long-standing communist regime. The country was grappling with a breakdown in law enforcement, poverty, and widespread civil unrest.

In June 1992, Josef Cuko, along with his brother Ditbardh Cuko, carried out a home invasion and mass murder in the small Albanian village of Libofshë, located in the Fier District. Their objective was to commit a robbery, and the amount they targeted was shockingly small: 5,000 Albanian lek, which was roughly $50 USD at the time.

The Cuko brothers forced entry into the home of a local family, all of whom they would go on to bludgeon to death using metal bars. Among the five victims was a seven-month-old infant, underscoring the sheer brutality and lack of conscience involved in the crime. The victims, whose names were not publicly released in most reports, were all killed on the same day during the robbery.

The case ignited outrage across Albania. News of the murders spread quickly, and authorities acted swiftly. Josef and Ditbardh Cuko were arrested shortly after the murders, and the evidence against them was overwhelming. The trial moved rapidly through the courts, and in June 1992, they were convicted of five counts of murder and sentenced to death by hanging.

On 25 June 1992, Josef and Ditbardh were executed publicly by hanging in the city of Fier. What followed was an act of public spectacle: their bodies were left hanging in public view for the entire day. Local newspapers and international media captured the extreme public sentiment. Many Albanians believed that the execution was too merciful. One bystander stated, "It’s excellent that they have hanged them, but it would have been far better had they burnt them alive or cut them to pieces like meat and rubbed salt into their wounds."