Black Widow
This is the unbelievable story of one of Britain's most audacious criminal manipulators: Dena Thompson, the Black Widow. It is a cautionary tale of fairy tale romance and nightmarish deceit: how Dena pursued a ruthless course of fraud and violence, and left a trail of physical, emotional, and financial destruction in her wake. And how she nearly got away with it all. Now Dena has been released from prison, it is possible to tell the story in full for the first time. Spanning 20 years, the filmmakers have gained exclusive access to the Black Widow's victims - her first husband Lee Wyatt, Rosemary Webb - the mother of her second husband Julian Webb (who she married bigamously), and Richard Thompson, Dena's third husband. The two police officers who were at the heart of the investigation join the cast to explain how they untangled the truth from the lies, and ultimately brought her to justice. Through the victims intimate, harrowing testimony, and dramatic reconstruction of events, Black Widow forensically lays out Dena Thompson's criminal scheme. What starts for each victim as a love story, unravels to expose a repeating pattern of coercive control and a twisted master plan unlike anything the police had ever encountered.
- 2024-2024
- 1 season
- Documentary
This is the unbelievable story of one of Britain's most audacious criminal manipulators: Dena Thompson, the Black Widow. It is a cautionary tale of fairy tale romance and nightmarish deceit: how Dena pursued a ruthless course of fraud and violence, and left a trail of physical, emotional, and financial destruction in her wake. And how she nearly got away with it all. Now Dena has been released from prison, it is possible to tell the story in full for the first time. Spanning 20 years, the filmmakers have gained exclusive access to the Black Widow's victims - her first husband Lee Wyatt, Rosemary Webb - the mother of her second husband Julian Webb (who she married bigamously), and Richard Thompson, Dena's third husband. The two police officers who were at the heart of the investigation join the cast to explain how they untangled the truth from the lies, and ultimately brought her to justice. Through the victims intimate, harrowing testimony, and dramatic reconstruction of events, Black Widow forensically lays out Dena Thompson's criminal scheme. What starts for each victim as a love story, unravels to expose a repeating pattern of coercive control and a twisted master plan unlike anything the police had ever encountered.
Season 1 Episode Guide
3 Episodes 2024
Episode 1
The Deception Begins
This episode introduces Dena Thompson and her early tactics of fraud. It covers how she manipulated the men in her life, luring them into her web of lies.
Episode 2
The Consequences of Bigamy
The second episode delves into Thompson's bigamous marriages, exploring how she used these relationships to defraud her victims and build her criminal empire.
Episode 3
Unraveling the Web
The final episode chronicles the decade-long police investigation that ultimately led to Dena Thompson's arrest and conviction. It reveals the challenges faced by law enforcement in catching such a skilled manipulator.