True crime has captivated audiences worldwide with series like Making a Murderer and Serial. This Sunday, BBC Radio Ulster delves into the story of Dr John Bodkin Adams, a County Antrim-born doctor suspected of killing hundreds of patients.
In 1957, Adams was at the centre of what newspapers dubbed the 'Murder Trial of the Century'. Headlines screamed of inquiries into 400 wills and massive drug doses administered to wealthy widows in Eastbourne, England. He was rumoured to be the richest doctor in the UK, living in a grand house with a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce.
Born in 1899 in Randalstown, Adams was the son of a Plymouth Brethren preacher. He studied at Queen's University, Belfast, before moving to Sussex. Soon after, rumours emerged that he was targeting elderly female patients, altering their wills, and killing them with morphine and heroin injections.
Adams was eventually arrested for murder. His trial was dramatic and unprecedented; he famously never gave evidence, fuelling suspicion. The documentary 'Can You Prove it was Murder?' retraces his steps from Randalstown to the Old Bailey, accessing police files meant to be sealed until 2033.
The programme asks whether there is more to the story than originally reported. Tune in to BBC Radio Ulster on Sunday, February 21 at 12:30 GMT to hear the verdict of this chilling case.
