How was Black Widow killer caught by police?
A new Sky documentary will also highlight Dena as a bigamist- she married Lee Wyatt in 1984, before Julian Webb in 1991
Black Widow killer Dena Thompson murdered her second husband Julian Webb and almost evaded justice. A new Sky documentary called Black Widow details Thompson's murder of her husband and how she orchestrated a relentless campaign of fraud, deception, bigamy and murder.
The three-part true crime series, which will air on Sunday, September 15 on Sky Documentaries, will show how Thompson used Lonely Hearts columns to prey on a number of husbands and lovers and manipulated them with her convincing yet outlandish tales into surrendering their life savings, homes, families and freedom.
The series will also highlight Dena as a bigamist— she married Lee Wyatt in 1984, before Julian Webb in 1991. After Webb’s death, she divorced Wyatt and tied the knot with Richard Thompson in 1998.
Three-times-married Dena Thompson, 43, poisoned advertising manager Julian Webb with a lethal cocktail of anti-depressant capsules in his favourite meal - a hot, spicy curry - at their home in Douglas Close, Yapton, near Arundel, in June 1994.
Thompson tried and failed to claim £35,000 from his pension plan after his death and she moved onto Richard Thompson.
Dena Thompson's crimes eventually caught up with her when was arrested and charged with the murder of Webb in 2003. She was previously convicted of fraud for conning both Wyatt and Richard Thompson.
After a five-week trial, she was jailed for life. But how was Dena Thompson caught by police?
How was Dena Thompson caught by police?
Detective Chief Inspector Martyn Underhill had been investigating the death of Julian Webb for several years and tried to piece together her crimes and bring the evidence to convict Dena Thompson.
His investigation was on hold in 2000 as Sussex Police investigated the abduction of Sarah Payne, but he was keen to get back into the case. Police officers resumed their investigations in 2001 and found a box of Julian's belongings including letters to a Don Hudson, who was a friend in Florida.
Don and Julian had written letters to each other, with some of the letters signed by Dena and Julian together. Police officers were keen to speak to Don Hudson and worked with Tampa Police to find him.
DCI Martyn Underhill and Detective Constable Sean McDonald travelled to the US and door knocked many properties, spoke to residents for anyone who knew Don Hudson.
The British police officers filmed and broadcast a police appeal asking Don Hudson to come forward as part of their investigations. Eventually, Don came forward and he was angry that it was implied he was a murder suspect.
After being calmed down, he revealed how he knew Julian via a fishing trip and sent each other various letters. He revealed shortly after Julian's death, Dena called him to say Julian had a "really hot curry" and had killed himself.
DCI Underhill clocked that Dothiepin's bitter taste would have been disguised in a hot curry and became convinced this is how Dena killed Julian.
Describing this as his "eureka" moment, DCI Underhill remarked: "That was the moment for me. That was my Pandora's box.
"Can you disguise the taste of Dothiepin in a curry? Yes of course you can.
"Suddenly to me, everything kicked into place. That is how she gave him the tablets".
In August 2002, Thompson was living at an address in Cullompton, Devon. She was arrested and taken to Crawley to be interviewed by police about her late husband's death.
Dena shared a statement to police in which she claimed she had no recollection of Julian's death. She was later found guilty of murder at The Old Bailey and jailed for life.
