Iran's 'Black Widow', who killed 11 husbands by poisoning them faces execution. Know all about the case

In one of Iran's most gruesome murders, Kulthum Akbari, will always be feared for the manner in which she carried out the killings of not one, but 11 people. Yes, we are talking about the "Black Widow", the name Akbari got for the methodical nature of her crimes and the long period over which they took place.

The 56-year-old Akbari, is believed to have poisoned 11 husbands to death over a 22 year period. She is now facing execution in Iran for the murders.

Motive and Pattern of Murders

Akbari, over the period married 11 people who were much older than they should be and then slowly poisoned them. She would carefully provide deadly doses of blood pressure medication, sedatives, diabetes medication, and industrial alcohol to them. Gradually the victims would develop heart problems, diabetes complications and die. All this would signal towards natural death, without raising any suspicion on Akbari as the victims were elderly people and seemed to die of natural causes.

The motive behind the murders were to inherit both properties and dowries from the dead husbands. The wealth and properties were reportedly transferred by Akbari into the name of her daughter, who amassed big fortune.

According to the Iranian authorities, the "Black Widow" killed multiple men over a span of 22 years, though the exact number remains uncertain as Akbari was unable to provide a detailed count of the killings during interrogation, reported the Economic Times.

Breakthrough in the Case

The murders that began in 2000 continued until 2023, when 82-year-old Gholamreza Babaei, Akbari's latest husband died. Babei’s son grew suspicious about the death after he came to learn that his friend’s father had been married to a woman by the same name who attempted to poison him in 2020 but he managed to survive.

The matter was reported to the police by Babaei's family. Akberi was finally arrested and on interrogation confessed to her crimes. Certain reports indicate that the number of murders that AKberi or the "Black Widow" carried out could be 15.

Case Trial

Akbari is currently awaiting trial in the case in Iran's Revolutionary Court. If found guilty she could be given capital punishment as demanded by the victims' families. However, defence lawyers claim Akbari has mental health issues and have requested the court for a psychiatric evaluation.

The claim, though, is strongly opposed by the families of the victims, who argue that the manner in which (careful planning and repeated execution of the poisonings) the killings have taken place does not demonstrate any mental illness.