"Black Widow" in Iran – woman sentenced to ten deaths
In Iran, 56-year-old Koltum Akbari has been sentenced to ten death sentences for a series of murders of elderly men, with whom she entered into temporary marriages to seize their property. The crimes were committed in the city of Sari since 2000. She mixed a deadly combination of drugs and alcohol for her victims, then strangled them. She was caught in September 2023 after the death of her 82-year-old husband. She confessed to 13-15 murders, with official charges filed on 11 counts.
In Iran, a harsh sentence was handed down to 56-year-old Koltum Akbari, known as the "black widow." The court sentenced her to ten death sentences for a series of premeditated murders of elderly men. The perpetrator operated in the city of Sari, starting in 2000. She entered into temporary marriages with her victims, after which she mixed a deadly combination of drugs and alcohol into their drinks. When the men lost strength, she suffocated them with a pillow or towel. The serial killer was apprehended in September 2023 after the death of her 82-year-old husband, Gholamreza Babaei, whose son suspected foul play and contacted the police. During interrogations, Akbari confessed to killing between 13 and 15 people. Officially, she was charged with 11 counts of murder and one attempted murder. Relatives of ten victims demanded the application of the law of "retribution" (qisas) on the principle of "an eye for an eye." Lawyers insisted on a mental health evaluation of the accused, but the victims' relatives rejected this, pointing to the careful planning and calculation of the crimes.