Young poet's life cut short in fight over stolen bike

More than 50 candles, bouquets of roses and written letters and poems can be seen pasted on the front of an apartment building on Palma de Sant Just in Barcelona's Gothic neighborhood.

Over the past few days people have come to leave mementos in the memory of Salvador Iborra, a 33-year-old poet who was knifed to death. "He lived here? And they killed him at his door just for a damn bicycle? That's crazy," says one man who came to take pictures.

"Salva," as he was known to his friends and colleagues, went to a nearby bar, Thales, to meet his friend Xavier who works as a waiter. The establishment is only about 60 meters from his home.

In the evening, they were joined by Donielo Parés, 61, who had just closed the parking garage in front of the bar. Parés usually allowed Xavier to keep his bike there while he worked and would bring it to him when the garage closed down. After the bar shut, Xavier accompanied Iborra to his house because the poet was going to give him a book. He left the bicycle outside the apartment door. When he left Iborra's home, the bike was gone and the two began a search in the neighborhood. It was about 6am when Iborra was returning home and saw two people with the bike.

According to a preliminary police investigation, Iborra began a fight with one of the thieves and was knifed. Police have arrested Saodi M. and Zakari Y. M., who both have prior criminal records.

The Valencia native worked as a substitute college teacher and had published three books: Un llençol per embrutar, Les entranyes del foc and Els cossos oblidats.