Kulthum Akbari’s story sounds like something written for a crime thriller, but according to the account provided, investigators eventually uncovered a disturbing pattern that had remained hidden for years.

Kulthum was married for the first time when she was only eleven years old. Her first husband eventually died. Then she married again—and her second husband also died. After that came a third marriage, followed by another death.

At first, the deaths appeared unrelated.

There was no obvious connection between the men, and because they were elderly, their passing did not immediately seem suspicious. Families mourned, arrangements were made, and life continued.

But investigators would later allege that the deaths were part of a much larger pattern.

According to the case account, Kulthum had developed a method for finding vulnerable men. She reportedly presented herself to families as a caring woman who could provide companionship and support to elderly fathers who were lonely or difficult for relatives to care for.

She appeared warm. She appeared dependable. She seemed willing to take responsibility for men who needed attention and companionship.

For families struggling to care for aging relatives, that could make her seem like the perfect solution.

Marriage followed.

And, according to investigators, so did the killings.

The men she allegedly targeted were generally between 65 and 82 years old. Their age became an important part of the alleged scheme because illness and natural causes could easily explain a sudden decline in health.

Investigators said she used combinations of medications and substances, including sedatives, blood-pressure medicines and diabetes medications. In some alleged cases, industrial alcohol was also involved.

Rather than relying on one dramatic attack, the alleged method involved quietly administering dangerous substances over time.

That meant the victim could become weaker, sicker and increasingly vulnerable without immediately understanding what was happening.

And when an elderly man died, people often had an explanation ready.

He was old.

He had health problems.

His body had simply failed.

That, investigators later alleged, allowed Kulthum to continue.

After a husband died, she would allegedly collect whatever financial benefits or property came from the marriage and eventually move on to another elderly man.

The pattern reportedly continued for roughly two decades.

Behind each marriage, investigators believed, there was another grieving family—and potentially another victim.

The case finally began to unravel because of her final husband.

He was an 82-year-old man living in Mahmudabad.

Unlike the other men, he reportedly became suspicious of what was happening to him.

As his health deteriorated, he allegedly realized that Kulthum was repeatedly giving him unusually high doses of medication. Instead of remaining silent, he spoke to his son.

He reportedly told his son that he believed Kulthum was forcing excessive medication on him and that he feared for his life.

His son took the warning seriously.

He contacted police.

That decision changed everything.

Investigators began examining Kulthum’s background and looking more closely at the men she had previously married.

What they reportedly discovered was a disturbing trail of deaths stretching back to the early 2000s.

Men who had once been considered unrelated victims suddenly appeared connected by one person: Kulthum.

Authorities questioned her about the deaths.

According to the account, she eventually confessed to killing multiple men, although her statements about the exact number were inconsistent. At one point, she reportedly said she could not remember precisely how many victims there had been.

Investigators believed the actual number of victims could be more than 20.

But the case would ultimately focus on a smaller number of murders that prosecutors were able to establish in court.

The woman who had allegedly presented herself as a devoted companion to elderly men was now at the center of one of Iran’s most disturbing serial-murder cases.

And the final husband—the man who survived—may have been the person who finally stopped the alleged pattern.