42-year-old Zhou Kehua is the suspect in an armed robbery on Friday in downtown Chongqing in southwestern China, which left one woman dead and two men injured. One policeman was confirmed found dead during the search. Zhao Yunjie has more.

Guns loaded, photo in hand, just waiting for the suspected murderer to show.

42-year-old Zhou Kehua, one of the country's most wanted criminal, was last seen Friday morning fleeing, after fatally shooting a woman in front of a bank in Chongqing city center.

A few hours later, a railway policeman was found dead with three gunshot wounds.

Local police believed he was murdered in an encounter with Zhou.

After seeing the reports about this crime and the suspect's photos posted by police, residents living near the crime scene recalled spotting Zhou on numerous occasions since July.

"He has been wandering around here since July, and I have seen him several times. He was staring at my child quite bizarrely."

Born a Chongqing resident, Zhou is suspected of having committed several murders and robberies in both his home town and neighbouring provinces since 2004.

He is said to have mastered survival and counter-surveillance skills to escape the previous chases.

Chongqing police have expanded their search into the nearby mountain areas, where the suspect grew up, and might have been hiding.

Zhang Fumin, Chongqing armed police force: "Here are thousands of policemen from different divisions. You now should seach the mountain inch by inch from north to south."

After two days' careful combing, traces of human presence was found in a desolate mountain cave.

Inspection is being conducted on major roads of Chongqing, and Wanted notices put on roadside walls in the village where the suspect lived.

Chongqing police have also offered a reward of five hundred thousand yuan for information leading to his arrest.