In the autumn of 2008, Al Gentry from Albemarle, North Carolina, achieved his goal of 22 years hard work – he had Betty Neumar arrested for the murder of his brother Harold who was Betty’s husband back in 1986.

Only then did it emerge that Harold Gentry was just one of Betty’s former husbands. She had in fact been married five times in total – and all five husbands appear to have died in suspicious circumstances. The US media had a field day and labelled her “The Black Widow”. Could this 76-year-old grandmother really have got away with murder not just once but five times?

This film seeks the answer, tracking down some of the surviving relatives of the dead husbands, Betty’s own children from these marriages and finally, the alleged Black Widow herself. Betty was charged with solicitation to murder Harold Gentry. As her trial approaches, the film pieces together a trail of destruction and broken lives through investigation and reportage.

BBC (2009)

Director: Norman Hull
Producer: Sarah McCarthy
Executive Producer: Angus Macqueen