Mikus Alps: What we know now the case is closed

Saturday 23 November 2019

120 statements, 426 exhibits and hundreds of documents later, Guernsey Police say the events leading up to Mikus Alps' death are still unclear, and the investigation into his death has been closed.

An 'open' verdict was given at an inquest earlier this week and, meaning the end of the police investigation which has lasted nearly two years.

However, the question still remains whether the shotgun wound that killed him was self-inflicted or involved others.

Pictured: The burnt out car Mr Alps remains were found inside. 

The 33-year-old's skeletal remains were found in a burnt out car at Petit Bot on 10 January 2018, along with a shotgun which is thought to have been registered in his name.

The shotgun

It is known that Mr Alps enjoyed shooting and had been a member of a local clay pigeon shooting club. He had two registered shotguns, one of which was found in his wardrobe in the days following his death and not in the gun safe where it was usually kept.

His other shotgun, a Beretta 12 bore semi-automatic, was missing from the address and is believed to be the one found in the car.

Links to Ukraine

Mr Alps had supported Ukrainian fighters in their war against the Russians for some time, with suggestions that he was attempting to stop the Russian forces from progressing toward his native Latvia.

He had a connection with the Ukraine Volunteer Army and had, on multiple occasions, taken supplies over. From information on various records, he is known to have visited Ukraine twice in 2017.

Pictured: Mikus Alps' links with Ukranian fighters were well documented in media reports around the world. 

Throughout the investigation, Guernsey Police had access to a journalist's video interview with one of the battalion leaders, in which he suggests Mr Alps had been planning on moving to Ukraine. He also linked Russian involvement to Mr Alps' death, but police were unable to back this up with any evidence.

According to some of Mr Alps' friends, he had, in the months leading up to his death, believed he was being followed and threatened by Russians. This, once again, could not be proved.

Personal life

Mr Alps moved from Latvia to Guernsey when he was 19-years-old. He was described throughout his inquest as a "hard-working and driven" man as well as a "reliable friend".

He set up a business, based in Torteval, where he and a few employees would strip vehicles for their parts and sell them on eBay. He was known to work long and irregular hours, and was described as being a very good employer.

However, from around September 2017 things seemed to go downhill, with records showing a significant drop in sales. Evidence shows that, in the following months, Mr Alps was considering selling the business.

Although he was usually prompt and reliable in paying his employees, Mr Alps owed employees outstanding wages in the days before his death. When an employee messaged him to ask about this, Mr Alps replied saying he was having a "bit of a meltdown" and that he would drop the money off but needed to "pull myself together a bit to function".

At the time of his death, Mr Alps owed around £23,000 to legitimate financers.

Pictured: Mikus Alps and friend Jarrod Guillou, who has spoken publicly about his friend. 

Following a separate investigation and court case, evidence has shown Mr Alps had been involved in the possession of illegal firearms and controlled drugs before his death. Bags containing the items were recovered from his garage facility at Pleinmont.

He was known to be a recreational user of drugs and had displayed suicidal thoughts following a relationship breakdown in 2015. His low thoughts were referenced in a 2016 message thread to his tarot card reader, in which he said he was "very close to finishing myself".

Just hours before his death, Mr Alps had messaged a friend saying he had had a "major mental meltdown" but was now "back on the ball thanks to some good treatment and friends".

The days leading up to Mr Alps' death

Mr Alps was known to have been at home during daylight hours on Sunday 7 January, when he was offered dinner but refused it saying he was not hungry. He left later that evening and visited a friend at around 21:00. The friend had no concern for Mr Alps, who appeared to be his usual self.

Another friend recalled a visit that evening from Mr Alps, who appeared calm. He handed the friend a small package wrapped in red and white 'fragile' tape, saying "you will know what to do with this when the time is right". When his friend asked if everything was alright, Mr Alps responded, "yes, things are going to change".

The package contained a letter which, according to a forensic handwriting expert, was written by Mr Alps. It is described as being sombre and reflective.

In the early hours of Monday 8 January, Mr Alps woke his mother to say he was going out but asked her not to lock the door.

Cell site location shows he was at or near his business garage between 01:20 and 03:08 that morning.

Pictured: Mikus Alps. 

At 02:46 he contacted a friend, asking them to collect items from the garage. Although the friend claimed they had heard foreign sounding voices in the background, Guernsey Police could find no evidence of this.

Mr Alps made a WhatsApp call to a friend at 03:29 which registered off the small mast at Petit Bot. The friend recalled hearing another person present but said they couldn't be sure.

At 04:09 Mr Alps' phone signal was lost and would not appear again.

The evidence

Mr Alps' burnt out silver Volvo XC90 was spotted shortly before 07:30 on 8 January by some walkers, who reported it to emergency services. Both the Fire Service and Guernsey Police responded but did not recognise the skeletal remains, although an image of the vehicle shows they were present. The picture also shows the butt of the shotgun resting towards the front passenger side compartment while the barrel was resting on Mr Alps' lap.

The car was left in the remote location for 48 hours while its shell cooled down.

Mr Alps was reported as a missing person on 10 January and, at around midday, Guernsey Police noticed human remains in the car which were later confirmed to be Mr Alps'.

Experts found the fire had begun in the front passenger compartment and the driver's door could have been open at the time. Both the front seats wer in a fully reclined position.

On examination, a toxicologist found Mr Alps' had taken MDMA ahead of his death, as well as two Class B drugs and an anti-inflammatory. He had fractures to both arms, the cause of which cannot be determined.

Pictured: The former Head of Law Enforcement, Patrick Rice, spoke at a press conference soon after Mr Alps' death. 

Guernsey Police have no proof that anyone else was present at Mikus Alps' death but no evidence of any firm intention to take his own life.

Police and the court extended their condolences to his family following a very "difficult time".