Suspected judge killer released

RIGA - The state police detained on Dec. 13 a former Soviet OMON elite trooper, Dmitry Mashkov, who they believe could be responsible for the killing in October of prominent Latvian Supreme Court judge Janis Laukroze. But within days he was set free and was able to return to his home in St. Petersburg.

"The investigation is still continuing," said Krists Leiskalns, spokesman for the state police. "We have some interesting facts about this man. We've established that he was in the country at the time and that Laukroze handled a case against him in 1994 on account of theft."

He was reluctant to say any more and would not comment on the possibility that Mashkov may be linked to other killings in Latvia, or whether the ex-trooper is now a gun for hire.

Mashkov was detained on the grounds of statements made by eyewitnesses. But none of them recognized him as Laukroze's murderer.

"There's not a great deal of resemblance between Mashkov and the composite drawing of the murderer," Oskars Rode, Mashkov's legal counsel, said.

One of the eyewitnesses claimed to recognize the judge's killer in a line-up. But the man identified turned out to be a police officer.

Only hours after the security police released Mashkov for lack of evidence, however, the state police detained him for planting explosives next to a Riga synagogue in April 1998. He is the first person to have been detained in connection with the bombing, which caused minor damage to the building.

Although nobody was injured, the blast triggered an international reaction and led to the sacking of the then state police chief Aldis Lieljuksis and Interior Ministry state secretary Andris Staris.

Once again, Mashkov was released for lack of evidence.

Laukroze was shot several times. One of the two guns used had home-made modifications. It was left at the scene of the crime when the killer fled.