Man in Riga attempts to pass off murder as a suicide

RIGA - The State Police have sent to the Prosecutor's Office a request to charge a man with murder, which he attempted to pass off as a suicide.

On December 17, 2025, police received a call to Pernavas Street in Riga, where a man’s body with four stab wounds had been found, the State Police informed LETA.

Law enforcement launched an investigation and, on the same day, detained a man born in 1988 on suspicion of committing the crime. The man has no prior criminal record.

During the investigation, it was determined that the suspect knew the deceased man. He committed the crime while under the influence of alcohol following a conflict between the two individuals.

The suspect stabbed the victim four times with a knife, causing his death. After the murder, the man placed another knife in the victim’s hand to make the murder appear to be a suicide. The suspect collected the murder weapon and discarded it at a cemetery, but investigators managed to find it.

The law provides for life imprisonment or imprisonment for a term of five to 20 years, as well as probationary supervision for up to three years, for committing such a crime.

On June 1 of this year, law enforcement officials transferred the case materials to the Riga Eastern District Prosecutor's Office to initiate criminal prosecution.