Mystery surrounds Dane's killing

Police have detained two people in connection with the killing in Riga of former Danish world champion sailor Bent Folke Larsen.

Larsen, 68, had lived in Riga for four-and-a-half years and owned a small beauty products company. His body was found in his apartment Sept. 3 by a bookkeeper from his company. He was stabbed several times and was naked, police said.

Latvia's criminal police chief Janis Vonda said the murder investigation centered on Larsen's private life. He rejected Danish media speculation that Larsen was involved with criminal underworld elements.

Pictures of young, naked girls were also found in the apartment, he added.

"It is difficult to say the ages of these girls, but they seem to be very young," Vonda said.

Despite Larsen's Danish nationality, a Swedish passport in his name was among the belongings found in his apartment, said Ake Holmberg, who represents the Nordic state's police forces at the Swedish Embassy in Riga.

"But we haven't been able to trace any other connections between Larsen and Sweden," said Holmberg.

No details are currently available about the two persons detained in the case.

Rikke Helms, director of the Danish Culture Institute in Riga, suggested Larsen must have wanted to keep a low profile among Riga's sizable Danish community.

"I had never heard of him before I read about him. I think he must have tried very hard to stay away from the Danish community here," said Helms.

Mikael Skadhauge, finance director at the tobacco company House of Prince Riga, also said Larsen must have been a recluse.

"I've spoken to some other Danes here but no one I know seems to have had any contact with this man," said Skadhauge.

Latvia's Interpol office is currently seeking more background information about Larsen's life in Sweden and Denmark.

The Danish Embassy said it was assisting with the investigation but declined to comment further.

In 1986 Larsen won silver in the sailing world championships in the quarter-ton class, together with partners Poul Richard Høj Jensen, Theis Palm, Palle S. Jensen and Steen Larsen. The team went on to take gold in the following two years.