Two teenage girls have tragically lost their lives, and the global pursuit of the suspected killer has come to a close in London.
Zulma Guzman Castro, a 54-year-old entrepreneur, stands accused of using poisoned raspberries to harm the girls, allegedly driven by a complicated romantic involvement with one of the victims’ fathers.
Despite her polished image on the show Shark Tank, where she sought funding for her business, individuals familiar with Castro’s inner circle describe a different persona. Former colleagues claim that behind closed doors, she displayed behavior far from what was publicly portrayed. One employee even alleges that when Castro’s lover, Juan de Bedout, whom she confessed to monitoring with a GPS device, visited her home office, she swiftly dismissed her staff to engage in private activities with him.
The accused suspect has vehemently denied all accusations, labeling them as mere hearsay to acquaintances. However, the case has garnered widespread attention globally. Recently apprehended in London after a dramatic confrontation that led Castro to leap from Battersea Bridge into the River Thames, the victims’ families may finally be on the verge of receiving answers.
In a routine Spring afternoon, Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13, were baking cookies in Bedout’s affluent Bogota apartment after school. During their baking session, a courier delivered chocolate-covered raspberries, a treat favored by Ines.
Castro, purportedly a long-time family friend, was familiar with the girls’ schedules and preferences. A courier, later revealed to be an associate of Castro, delivered the package. Tragically, the girls initially refused the delivery as it was unexpected. However, they eventually accepted it at 7 pm, leading to their untimely deaths within days. Two other children also consumed the raspberries but survived, albeit with lasting effects from the poisoning.
Described as an act of revenge by the suspect, believed to stem from a past dispute with Ines’ father, the incident has reopened scrutiny into another potential thallium poisoning case involving a previous victim, Alicia Graham Sardi, in 2021.
Castro, in a message to friends, expressed distress over the accusations and refuted claims of fleeing to Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and the UK. She acknowledged a secretive relationship with one of the victims’ fathers but denied involvement in the tragic events.
Following her arrest, former employees of Castro’s car-sharing company resurfaced allegations of her financial mismanagement and abusive behavior towards staff. Speculation arose about the fortuitous timing of the company’s closure in 2019, coinciding with Castro’s legal troubles.
One former employee disclosed instances of Castro’s inappropriate conduct, highlighting her preference for private liaisons with her lover during work hours. Castro’s whereabouts were eventually traced through an interview where she was seen drinking from a UK-exclusive water bottle.
As the suspect awaits extradition to Colombia, where the crimes transpired, authorities emphasize the presumption of innocence until proven guilty due to the intense public interest in the case.