One of the darkest serial murder cases in Iran’s modern history has come to a close, with Kolsoum Akbari—known in the Iranian media as the “Black Widow,” sentenced to death for the murders of elderly men whom she married and then, within a short period of time, poisoned.
Her crimes are said to have spanned more than 20 years, from the early 2000s until her arrest in 2023. Her victims were mainly elderly men, many of whom were widowers or lived without close relatives nearby. Akbari would gain their trust, marry them—often through a temporary marriage arrangement—and shortly thereafter, they would begin to experience serious health problems.
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She herself is reported to have confessed to at least 11 murders, while during one of her interrogations she left open the possibility that there were even more victims. “I don’t know how many I killed. Maybe it was 13 or 15 people. I don’t remember exactly,” she reportedly said.
How She Killed Her Victims
The method described by Iranian authorities did not initially raise any suspicions. Akbari reportedly used sedatives, diabetes medications, industrial alcohol, and other substances, which she either administered directly to the men or mixed into their soups and teas.
The victims began to experience nausea, fainting spells, and difficulty breathing. Since the victims were primarily elderly, their relatives often attributed the deterioration in their health to old age or pre-existing conditions. Hospitals treated them for heart problems or diabetes, and after their deaths, in several cases it was assumed that they had died of natural causes.
The geographical dispersion of the victims across different cities helped Akbari, according to reports in local and international media, to remain beyond the authorities’ suspicion for years.
Her last husband, an 82-year-old man, led to her arrest
Her activities were uncovered in 2023 following the death of her 82-year-old last husband.
Before he died, the elderly man had told his children that Akbari was forcing him to take medication for his heart and blood pressure, which repeatedly caused him to lose consciousness.
After his death, his relatives contacted the police and asked for an investigation into the case. Akbari was arrested in September 2023, and the investigation revealed that she had married several other men, with the marriages repeatedly ending the same way: in their deaths.
The investigation expanded to include earlier deaths, involving exhumations and new toxicology tests. Doctors who had previously attributed the deaths to natural causes testified in court, as well as relatives who had seen their loved ones fall inexplicably ill after marrying Akbari.
Temporary Marriages and Financial Motives
Central to the case is the institution of “sigheh,” or temporary marriage, which is recognized under Shia law in Iran. Its duration can be agreed upon in advance and includes a dowry; however, temporary spouses do not automatically inherit from one another under Iranian civil law.
According to researchers, Akbari used such marriages to gain access to the lives, homes, and finances of elderly men.
The fact that she did not always have inheritance rights does not appear to have been an obstacle. She reportedly persuaded some of her husbands to transfer real estate or vehicles to her while they were still alive, while gaining access to pensions and savings and taking advantage of the obligation to pay the agreed-upon dowry. At least some of her marriages were permanent, a fact that secured her stronger inheritance rights.
According to the authorities, she had received a dowry of five billion riyals (approximately 102,000 euros) from her last husband before his death.
Ten families demanded her execution
The court found her guilty of 11 counts of premeditated murder and one count of attempted murder. In Iran, the sentence in such cases is also influenced by the decision of the victims’ families, based on the principle of “qisas,” or retributive justice.
Ten families requested the death penalty, while one opted for financial compensation, known as diyya or “blood money.” The result was the imposition of ten death sentences and an additional ten-year prison term for attempted murder.
The court also ordered the confiscation of her assets, while both Akbari and the victims’ families have the right to appeal the decision before it becomes final.
Her defense attorneys had requested that she undergo a psychiatric evaluation, citing possible mental instability. The judges rejected the argument, finding that her long-term and methodical actions, the way she covered up the deaths, and the financial gain indicated premeditation rather than a loss of touch with reality.
The serial killer who shocked Iran
The case has sparked enormous interest in Iran, not only because of the number of victims and the duration of Akbari’s crimes, but also because she is a female serial killer in a country where, as is the case internationally, the overwhelming majority of serial killers are men.
At the same time, it has sparked a broader discussion about the institution of temporary marriage, the financial exploitation of the elderly, and the protection of people who live alone or without close relatives.
The issue takes on even greater significance due to Iran’s aging population. According to the data cited in the case, within a generation, one in four Iranians is expected to be over 60 years old, making the protection of the elderly from financial exploitation and abuse an increasingly important social challenge.
Source: Protothema.gr
