Who is Alfredo Galán? Playing Card Killer's life is explored in Netflix series

In its recent attempt to bring more true crime docuseries to the table, Netflix is ready with its newest addition, The Playing Card Killer. This true crime documentary captures the tale of the infamous Alfredo Galán, who is known for a series of murders in the early 2000s. As the sobriquet suggests, Galán left a playing card at the site of the crime as his unique mark.

The Playing Card Killer, produced by Netflix and La Coproductora, premiered on Netflix on June 9, 2023.

This four-part true crime documentary is produced for the screen by Amanda Sans Pantling and gives viewers a bird's-eye view of the case, starting from the backdrop, investigation, court trials, and the take of the associates involved.

The synopsis of The Playing Card Killer reads:

"A playing card left at a murder scene connects a string of killings in this docuseries tracking a notorious serial killer who terrorized Spain in 2003."

Adding to the infamous list of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy, Netflix brings to light the heinous crimes committed by Galán in Madrid, Spain.

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Alfredo Galán, the man behind the moniker Playing Card Killer

Alfredo Galán was born in the countryside of Puertollano, Spain, on April 5, 1978. He was known to be a quiet, introverted teenager who was also the class president in his high school years. After graduating from school, Galán served in the Spanish Army. Being a corporal in the 31st Mech Regiment "Asturias" of Madrid, he was posted in Bosnia due to multiple missions. Galán's shy nature is attributed to the early death of his mother.

Galán was eventually sent back to Spain to help in the cleaning campaigns and rescue work in the event of the Prestige Oil Spill, and again to Madrid for car theft. Soon after, he was put into the Gómez Ulla Military Hospital for observation after an argument with the commanding officers.

He was thereby diagnosed with anxiety and neurosis. From here on, Galán took up the job of an airport security officer at the Madrid-Barajas Airport and subsequently turned into an alcoholic.

The Playing Card Killer picks up the story of Alfredo Galán after he went on a killing spree in 2003. Galán's first victim was 50-year-old Juan Francisco Ledesma, shot dead in the head after making him kneel in front of his 2-year-old son. The next victim was Juan Carlos Martín Estacio, a 28-year-old cleaner at the airport. On February 5, 2003, Estacio appeared at a bus stop in Alameda de Osuna, Madrid, with a shot in his head. An Ace of Cups card was found near the body.

Mikel Jiménez, 18, and Juana Uclés López, 57, were shot dead in the Rojas Bar in Alcalá de Henares, where Mikel's mother and the establishment owner, Teresa Sánchez, were left injured and alive to witness her son's murder. His next victim was Santiago Eduardo on March 7, 2003. Eduardo's girlfriend, Anahid Castillo Ruperti, lived to narrate the event in the La Paz hospital.

Eleven days later, a Romanian couple, Gheorgi and Doina Magda, were brutally murdered. Galán left the three and four of cups at this scene, while investigators found two of cups at the previous scene. Galán used a rare Soviet weapon, the Tokarev TT-33 pistol of 7.62 caliber, to gun down his victims, which he brought with him hidden inside a television set.

There have been no links to tie the murders together except the fact that cards from the Spanish deck were found at the scenes—something that Galán did not intend to make his modus operandi but ended up doing for the clout he gathered. The Playing Card Killer left no playing cards at the first crime scene, which made it challenging for the investigators to string the story together with proof.

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Presently, 45-year-old Alfredo Galán has been jailed for 142 years and three months. In the true-crime series The Playing Card Killer, viewers will get to delve into the descent into darkness in Galán's life.

This twenty-year-old murder mystery from the archives is streaming on Netflix starting June 9, 2023.