Bucharest Killer Uses Cold Temps To Claim Victims

Bucharest citizens have been gripped with fear as the city suffers one of its harshest winters in decades. 38 deaths have already been registered between December 10th and January 7th in a string of chilling cases linked by a common cause of death - cold temperatures. Temperatures dropped to -15 degrees last week, leaving the capital in a state of paralysis as Southern Romania was dumped on with snow that piled up in 2 metre high drifts. Concerned that the perpetrator might escape the region, authorities closed both Bucharest's main airports, stranding thousands of travellers. Authorities in Romania's southern neighbour, Bulgaria, shut the Romanian-Bulgarian border at Giurgiu, fearing the maliciously cold temperatures might attempt to enter the country.

In addition to the 38 confirmed cold-related deaths in Bucharest, another 58 people have died from suspicious "sudden deaths" during the past month according to the head of the Bucharest Forensic Institute. "The cold played an important role in a third of those cases," failed TV detective turned forensic specialist Dan Dermengiu had to add.

Sadly, most of the victims have been homeless people with nowhere to hide or take shelter. It is estimated there are some 5000 homeless people in Bucharest and only about 330 beds for them in shelters throughout the city. The exact number of stray dogs who may have been frozen to death has not been released by authorities, as many of the bodies are not expected to be discovered until the drifts melt this April.

Meanwhile, at least 11 people have died inside their homes due to carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty heating installations, proving the killer to be even more crafty and versatile than previously thought.