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Alice Gross: Latvian police doubt suspect Arnis Zalkalns is in the country Latvian police ‘have no power to arrest Alice Gross suspect’
(about 3 hours later)
Latvian authorities have doubts that Arnis Zalkalns, the prime suspect in the murder of 14-year-old Alice Gross, has returned to his home country, and even if he does appear police will have no means to arrest him, a spokesman said on Thursday. The Latvian police have no authority to arrest Arnis Zalkalns, the prime suspect in the murder of 14-year-old Alice Gross, if he has returned to his home country, a spokesman said on Thursday, and there are doubts that he has returned to the country. “As far as I know, at the current time there is still no warrant, so we would not be able to arrest him,” Toms Sadovskis of the Latvian police said. “Of course, it could be any minute or any day. That’s up to the UK authorities, but we have not heard anything yet.”
“As far as I know, at the current time there is still no warrant so we would not be able to arrest him,” Toms Sadovskis of the Latvian police said. “Of course it could be any minute or any day. That’s up to the UK authorities, but we have not heard anything yet.” Sadovskis said the Latvian police were doing all they could to support the Scotland Yard investigation and were responding to every request, but he was vague about what would happen if there was a confirmed sighting of Zalkalns. “There could be a lot of things we could do or could not do depending on the circumstances, but it’s impossible to comment on ‘what ifs’,” he said.
Sadovskis said the Latvian police were doing all they could to support the Scotland Yard investigation and were responding to every request, but he was vague about what would happen if there was a confirmed sighting of Zalkalns in Latvia. He declined to comment on how the investigation was proceeding in Latvia, and said all questions should be directed to Scotland Yard.
“There could be a lot of things we could do or could not do depending on the circumstances, but it’s impossible to comment on ‘what ifs’,” he said. A Latvian police source with knowledge of the investigation said, however, that he doubted whether Zalkalns was in Latvia at all. “As a policeman, I can’t answer that question, but as a person I think no,” he said. He added that Scotland Yard officers had made only one trip to Latvia, lasting two days.
He declined to comment on how the investigation was proceeding in Latvia, and said all questions should be directed to Scotland Yard. A Latvian police source with knowledge of the investigation said, however, that he doubted Zalkalns was in Latvia at all. The Guardian understands that British diplomats have discussed the issue with Latvia’s interior minister and are satisfied that the Latvians are doing everything they can to cooperate.
“As a policeman I can’t answer that question, but as a person I think no,” he said. The source added that Scotland Yard officers had made only a brief trip to Latvia, coming for two days and leaving around a week ago. They had not yet returned. Gross went missing after leaving her home in west London for a walk on 28 August, while Zalkalns, 41, disappeared a week later. Police took the unusual step of naming him as the prime suspect after finding out that he had a conviction for murdering his wife in Latvia, but they are not believed to have any hard evidence against him – hence the lack of an international warrant.
Gross went missing after leaving her home in west London for a walk on 28 August, while Zalkalkns, 41, disappeared a week later. Police took the unusual step of naming him as the prime suspect after finding out he had a conviction for murdering his wife in Latvia, but they are not believed to have any hard evidence against him, hence the lack of an international warrant. Detectives have apparently taken DNA samples from his London home and will attempt to match them to anything found at the site where Alice’s body was found. Detectives have apparently taken DNA samples from his London home and will attempt to match them to anything found at the site where Alice’s body was found. Police found her body hidden in the river Brent on Tuesday after a long search, meaning the police are now officially dealing with a murder investigation.
Police found her body hidden in the River Brent on Tuesday after a long search, meaning the police are now officially dealing with a murder investigation. Zalkalns served seven years of a prison sentence for killing his former wife, Rudite, with a metal pole and a knife in 1997. He then buried her and reported her missing to police two days later.
Zalkalns served seven years of a prison sentence for killing his former wife, Rudite, with a metal pole and a knife in 1997. He then buried her, before reporting her missing to police two days later.
Zalkalns was born Arnis Daksa, but when he married Rudite she did not want to take his surname, relatives say, because in Latvian it means “fork” and sounds amusing. Instead he took his wife’s surname.Zalkalns was born Arnis Daksa, but when he married Rudite she did not want to take his surname, relatives say, because in Latvian it means “fork” and sounds amusing. Instead he took his wife’s surname.
While in prison he began writing to Liga Rubezniece, whom he married on his release. The couple had two children, but after he moved to London in 2008 he began living with another woman.While in prison he began writing to Liga Rubezniece, whom he married on his release. The couple had two children, but after he moved to London in 2008 he began living with another woman.
The Alice Gross case has not attracted much attention in Latvia, and there have been no major public appeals to search for Zalkalns.The Alice Gross case has not attracted much attention in Latvia, and there have been no major public appeals to search for Zalkalns.
As the missing person posters were removed from trees and lampposts in Hanwell yesterday, tributes to Alice piled up at a clocktower in the centre of the quiet suburban town. “We never met you, but if only we could have found you,” read one. “You were a beautiful young girl who unfortunately came across a violent person who had no thought for others. The person is nothing but evil.”
Some well-wishers said there would be questions about the police search – and why the prime suspect was allowed to live in the UK despite a previous murder conviction – but were reluctant to attack investigators during a period of mourning. “In fairness to the police, there’s been a really obvious presence and the determination to find her has been really obvious. They were there all the time. There will be criticism, people get angry, but now is not the time for that,” said Meena Kayler, 46, a midwife at the nearby Ealing hospital.
“I didn’t know Alice but I’ve grown up and lived here all my life. What I’ve found really comforting is the community support that has taken place. Even though it’s a sad time it makes me feel really proud to be part of it.”
Meanwhile, residents who live near the spot where Alice’s body was found expressed surprise that she was recovered from a stretch of river that appeared to have been meticulously searched before. “I was surprised. I find it difficult to see how you can conceal someone in a canal in broad daylight,” said canalboat engineer Barry Nother, 53, whose boat was moored 50 yards from where Alice was found. “It’s shallow there and it’s busy as hell around here, with all kinds of joggers, cyclists, people taking their kids to school.”