Valga murder: three minors and woman remanded in custody for up to two months
Tartu district court granted the prosecution's remand applications – young people and woman suspected of murder were remanded in custody. The body was found in Pedeli reservoir.
Valga murder: suspects remanded in custody, locals point to long-standing problems
Tartu district court remanded in custody three young men and one woman on Monday afternoon in connection with a murder committed in Valga on Saturday night, the prosecution announced. According to Delfi.ee, the suspects are initially remanded in custody for up to two months.
Head of the South-Eastern Division Tamar Tamm confirmed that police detained 15-year-old, 17-year-old and 19-year-old young men, a 24-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman as suspects. "The young men are familiar to police from before, and the suspects and the victim have had previous contact," Tamm said.
Alcohol, bystanders and stabbing
Senior prosecutor Ingmar Laas described how the group was near the Pedeli River during the night leading to Saturday, consumed alcohol and disagreements arising from personal relations escalated into violence. "Several suspects were directly involved in beating the victim, but there were also bystanders present. Some time after the beating, one suspect stabbed the victim and he was thrown into the Pedeli River," Laas explained.
Laas added that both the beating and the stabbing were filmed. He urged strongly against sharing video clips containing violence or describing their content on social media or in the press. "Distributing information related to the murder re-victimises the victim and hinders the establishment of the truth," he said.
The three young men have been charged with murder, whilst the 43-year-old woman has been charged with causing serious bodily harm. The exact cause of the man's death will be determined through expert examination.
Body found in reservoir
Police received notice on Saturday around 2 p.m. of a possible murder that had occurred during the preceding night. The suspects were identified and detained by 5 p.m. According to South Prefecture operational chief Urmas Solovjov, divers were involved in the search and found the body of the 37-year-old man in Pedeli reservoir that same evening.
"We began parallel activities both to identify and detain the suspects and to find the possible victim," Solovjov explained.
Tamm confirmed that the investigation and evidence gathering continue to establish the course of events and the exact role of each suspect. He emphasised that security in Valga has not increased and people can continue their normal activities. Police are increasing visibility in the town and communicating with schools and the local authority.
Locals: youth gang was a long-standing problem
Local residents told TV3 news that this is a youth gang that has been a problem for the area for a long time. According to them, the children come from troubled families and have grown up in an environment of violence and drinking.
"Actually this gang has been around here for a long time. They have beaten people before and threatened that if you come home from work in the evening, we'll be waiting for you," said one local resident. According to locals, municipal social workers were also aware of the young people long ago.
Tamm reminded that in cases of suspicious situations, one should call 112 immediately.
Source: Google News EE — Crime (et)