Mystery envelops LV men’s spa

Jeff German and Karen Zekan

Thursday, July 24, 1997 | 9:47 a.m.

Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of the owner of a Las Vegas men's health club linked to the Miami Beach, Fla., houseboat where alleged spree murderer Andrew Cunanan killed himself.

It was inside the blue, two-story houseboat, owned by Torsten Reineck, that FBI agents and police spent the night combing for clues after identifying Cunanan, 27, as the victim of a bullet blast.

The 49-year Reineck was listed as a Miami Beach resident when he was issued his Clark County business license in August as owner of Apollo Spa and Health Club, 953 E. Sahara Ave, in Commercial Center's northwest corner, authorities said.

Owners and employees of other shops in Commercial Center recall seeing Reineck at Apollo as recently as this week, including his flashy white Excalibur custom car with Florida plates that they claim he parked near Apollo's front doors.

"You couldn't miss him, with a car like that," said an appliance delivery man who identified himself only as Troy. "He's a big guy, with grayish hair in a ponytail. He had an attitude. He acted like, like he was the man."

The spa, said to cater to gays, does not have a privileged license to serve alcohol or offer massages and has not attracted the attention of Metro's Special Investigation's Bureau, Lt. Bill Cavagnaro said today.

Clark County Business License Director Ardel Jorgensen said the company is in good standing with her department.

"There's nothing in the file that would indicate anything odd about it," Jorgensen said.

But Jorgensen said she was sending an investigator to the spa to check reports the club was operating as a bathhouse more than a health club. Bathhouses have tougher licensing requirements.

Reineck, who records show owns numerous homes, cars and other property in Miami Beach, reportedly is wanted on fraud charges in Germany. The charges involve as much as $110,000.

A German newspaper reported earlier this year that Reineck was under investigation for evading nearly $280,000 in taxes in Germany. He reportedly ran a gambling hall in Leipzig and bought into a brewery that went bankrupt.

Records show Reineck does not have a history of arrests in Nevada. He also does not have a record of criminal incarceration in Florida.

Reineck is said to have used several aliases, including "Torsten Ruehl" and "Doc Mathew Ruehl."

Records on file with the Nevada secretary of state's office list Reineck as president of the health spa, which was incorporated in January 1996. Another man, Friedrich Ewald, is listed as secretary-treasurer. A Miami Beach address is shown as the company's address.

Neither man could not be reached for comment on whether Reineck knew Cunanan.

This morning, the Apollo spa was blocking all phone calls. A recorded message told callers the club will not accept the call.

A spokesman for Capitol Documents Services, a Carson City company listed on state records as Apollo Spa's resident agent, refused to give out any information today about Reineck "without a court order."

A spokesman for the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles said Reineck does not have a driver's license listed under his name.

Reineck was issued a Florida driver's license on May 5, 1993, records show.

Inside Apollo's lobby -- where potted plants are decoratively placed, three artsy black and whites of muscular male bodies adorn the walls, and a hint of chlorine floats in the air -- the club's manager denied that anyone named Torsten Reineck owned the business.

"We are not familiar with anyone with that name," he said, declining to give his own name. "We've been open 10 months. I've hired everybody here myself. We're all local. We're not aware of any association with the case."

The manager said he had contacted the owner in Hamburg, Germany, on Wednesday. He would not disclose where the man lives, confirm rumors he fled the country in fear of Cunanan, or comment on any businesses or property he might have in Miami.

NBC in Miami quoted Reineck's mother in Hamburg as saying her son was in Mexico.

The 24-hour, members-only club includes a pool, jacuzzi, saunas, workout equipment and snack bar. Its clientele is worldwide, although the manager said a check of meticulously kept records did not show that Gianni Versace or Andrew Cunanan ever visited.

"The first time Cunanan's name ever came up here was the day Versace was killed," he said, pausing to unclip a ringing cellular phone from his belt.

"I'm sorry, the owner is not available," he said into the receiver. Sliding the phone a few inches from his mouth, he whispered: "It's the Washington Post."

The flood of media calls began about 3 p.m. with a call from "Good Morning America," the manager said. By 5 p.m., he'd spoken with NBC, CBS, BBC, Associated Press, Miami Herald and most local media.

"Everyone around here is getting a good laugh out of it," he said.