Torso in the Thames: Part 1 – Ritual Murder or Something Else?

On September 21, 2001, a horrifying discovery was made in London’s River Thames—the torso of a young African boy, dismembered and stripped of identity. The case was chilling, and what followed was one of the most disturbing and complex international investigations in British history.The victim, named Adam by investigators, appeared to be the subject of a ritualistic killing. With no immediate leads, detectives turned to African communities and cultural experts for answers. In April 2002, the investigation took an extraordinary turn when Police Commander Andy Baker and his team traveled to South Africa. There, former President Nelson Mandela issued a public plea for information in a desperate effort to uncover the truth.The search for answers led the team into the dark world of ritual sacrifice and spiritual belief systems, even consulting a witch doctor to understand the potential motives behind the crime.In Torso in the Thames (Part 1), Martin and Helen trace the origins of the investigation, the shocking cultural dimensions of the case, and the global manhunt for a name, a motive, and ultimately, justice.#TorsoInTheThames #TrueCrimePodcast #UKCrime #UnsolvedMurder #RitualKilling #ColdCase #ChildVictim #JusticeForAdam #BritishCrime #CrimeInvestigationIf you found this episode compelling, try:The Butcher of DeliciasThe Boy in the SuitcaseUnheard: The Fred & Rose West TapesShreds: Murder in the DockThe Nobody Zone............................Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!Follow Us: Instagram: @true.criminalsSubscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-CriminalsSupport Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminalsConnect with Martin Brunt: Twitter: @skymartinbrunt Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book: No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSYConnect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575Credits: True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global. Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.Executive Producer: Lee Mann Producer: Russell Barnes Audio Production: Andrew Chappell Music Composition: Chap Mannequin Artwork: Bleached Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.