The Card Killer: Madrid's Deadly Game of Hearts

In the early months of 2003, Madrid was shaken by a series of seemingly random murders that spread panic throughout the city. The perpetrator: Alfredo Galán Sotillo, a former military man who would go down in history as "the playing card killer" or "the King of Hearts killer." This episode explores the chilling story of Galán, from his military background to his brief but impactful criminal career. We'll analyze how the media inadvertently influenced his crimes by dubbing him "the playing card killer," a nickname that Galán himself embraced by leaving playing cards at his crime scenes. We'll examine the police investigation, the impact of these murders on Madrid's society, and how Galán's confession eventually led to his capture and conviction. We'll also reflect on the role of media in criminal cases and the unexpected consequences that media coverage can have. Prepare to delve into one of the most disturbing cases in recent Spanish criminal history, where reality surpassed fiction in a macabre game of cards.