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 #CrimeInvestigation

If you found this episode compelling, try:

• The Butcher of Delicias

• The Boy in the Suitcase

• Unheard: The Fred & Rose West Tapes

• Shreds: Murder in the Dock

• The Nobody Zone

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Connect 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/g1WisSY

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

Credits: 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

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