Killer Leaves Calling Card With Two Shooting Victims

Police drew up a photofit picture yesterday of the man they call the playing card killer, a gunman who they suspect has twice walked up to strangers in Madrid and shot them at point-blank range.

His trademark is the card he leaves beside his bloodied victims - first it was the ace of a suit known in a Spanish deck as cups or chalices. Then it was the two of the same suit.

Although only one of his victims has died, police believe he may be a serial killer. Will he produce the three of cups?

His first victim was Juan Carlos Martin, a 28-year-old airport cleaner who was waiting for a night bus to take him home at 3am on February 5.

A bus driver found his body at a bus stop. He had been shot through the face; the ace of cups was lying beside him. Police could find no motive for the killing as Mr Martin's rucksack was left untouched.

Then, 30 days later, Eduardo Salas, an Ecuadorian business student, was shot in the face as he walked in Madrid with his girlfriend. The man tried to kill the girlfriend too, but his pistol jammed and he fled.

Mr Salas survived; the bullet passed through his cheek and neck. His girlfriend has helped police put together a photofit of the killer. Police are not sure whether the same person carried out both shootings; they have not found the bullet in the second case and the two cards came from different packs.