KOSICE, Slovakia – Kosice police arrested 23-year-old forward Ladislav Scurko on Thursday. The Slovakian player is suspected of murder and has confessed to it, the police announced at a press conference on Friday.

Scurko is suspected of having killed referee Marek Liptaj with 14 knife stabs in January 2008 at a highway roadhouse. The corpse, buried in a forest, was discovered in December 2008.

The police didn’t reveal the motives for the crime, but announced that Scurko will face a jail sentence of 15 to 20 years.

The 2004 sixth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers played for his hometown club, Spisska Nova Ves, and the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds before beginning his professional career with HC Kosice of the Slovakian Extraliga. He won the league title with his club earlier this spring.

Scurko also represented Slovakia at two World U20 Championships and two World U18 Championships.