A man from Balzan is expected to be charged this morning with killing Patricia Attard, a 55-year old woman of Hamrun who was shot dead at Ta' Qali on February 13.

The police believe the man approached a number of people and offered them several thousands of liri to kill the woman. When no one accepted, he decided to do the job himself.

It is understood that fresh arrests were made this week and the police feel they now have enough evidence to arraign the suspect. Gunshot residue had allegedly been found on his person.

Ms Attard was found dead in her van. She and her husband co-owned Pat's garage and a small number of drivers worked for them.

She was slumped on the passenger seat after being shot three times with a small calibre semi-automatic pistol. One of the shots went right through her head. Another bullet was lodged in her brain and a third just grazed her head. A bullet smashed the window on the driver's side. A spent cartridge was found inside the van and another two were on the ground beside the vehicle, indicating a semi-automatic pistol was used.

It is understood the police have established that the victim was at a Bugibba bingo hall on Friday night when she received a call on her mobile phone, possibly from her killer. Shortly after she left and waited for somebody in a remote area of Ta' Qali where she was eventually found dead by mobile squad police at about 4 a.m. on February 14.

A number of people, including close relatives and employees, were interviewed by the police in connection with the case.

The victim was known to have accumulated substantial debts and was often asked to pay up by loan sharks. But it is understood that the police were focusing more on the theory that someone had commissioned her murder in order to have her out of the way, possibly also because of the problems her debts were creating.

Investigations were carried out by various CID officials but it is understood that Police Commissioner John Rizzo, Assistant Commissioner Manwel Cassar and CID Superintendent Pierre Calleja played a key role in the investigations.