Convicted murderer shoots four dead

TOULOUSE, France -- A man already sought by police to serve a life sentence for murder has shot dead two prosecution witnesses from his trial and two policemen, officials said.

A manhunt, using helicopters, was underway across southwest France on Monday for Albert Foulcher, who machine-gunned the policemen in their car when they responded to a call for help from a couple who testified against him at his trial.

The trial, held in Foulcher's absence last April, was for the murder of an insurance agent near Toulouse in 1993.

Foulcher, who will be 50 next week, had showed up at the couple's home, shooting the husband dead, officials said. He drove off and then killed another prosecution witness, police said.

Foulcher was arrested in June 1993, six months after killing the insurance agent.

He was released on bail in October 1996 by an appeals court which ruled his long pre-trial incarceration violated the European Convention of Human Rights.

Police said Foulcher soon stopped reporting to authorities according to the conditions of his bail and they suspected him of two kidnap and extortion cases while on the run.

Several other prosecution witnesses, as well the two lawyers who represented Foulcher at the trial, were placed under police protection.

Reuters contributed to this report.

See related sites about Europe

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.