Police in Russia's southern republic of North Ossetia have detained the suspected killer of youth world boxing champion Khteag Kozayev.

Kozayev was shot several times at the Mirage nightclub in the North Ossetian capital of Vladikavkaz on June 13, 2010.

Local police reported on the same day that they had identified 28-year-old Soslan Abayev as the suspected murderer.

"Abayev managed to hide from investigators," local police said in a statement. "Last August, the republic's criminal police almost tracked him down in Moscow, but he suddenly disappeared again."

Abayev was detained in the southern Rostov Region, where he was hiding at a friend's house, police said. The date of the arrest was not reported.

MOSCOW, February 9 (RIA Novosti)