Killer holds Russian town in fear

A deranged serial killer is thought to be responsible for the murder of 15 women in Samara, a town in southern Russia, since January.

The killer delivers a single, crushing blow with an iron bar to the back of the head, and steals only his victim's handbag; jewellery and other valuables are ignored. The women are aged 35 to 50, and are usually killed near their home on their way from work.

In the most brutal case, a woman was ringing the doorbell of her flat to ask her husband to let her in. By the time he had opened the door, the killer had struck with his iron bar, and the husband found his wife dead in the building entrance.

Only one woman has survived an attack. One elderly couple has seen the attacker, describing him as "tall, with a long face, and a black hat". The three are under police protection.

After 15 identical attacks since January, locals and police are convinced it is one man. Police refuse to comment or even name the victims, preferring not to publicise the murders and perhaps drive the killer underground.

Viktor Kazberyev, the Samara city prosecutor, would only add: "We have formed a special investigation group for this unprecedented case, but it is still even unclear if it is one culprit or more behind these killings. We are doing all we can to catch him."

The fact that only handbags are stolen, and the victims' similar ages, lead investigators to think a psychological motive, and not just robbery, is driving the killer. In January police first noticed that fatal muggings were occurring in the same three districts of Samara - Oktyabrisky, Promuishleni, and Sovietsky. There have been two to three a week since.