As coated within the 2023 Netflix true-crime documentary collection Curry and Cyanide, Joliyamma “Jolly” Joseph was not an harmless face as her internet of lies started to unravel in 2019, resulting in a stunning confession — that she killed six members of her household over 14 years.
Earlier than that confession, Joseph’s story was that of a grieving mom, spouse, and daughter-in-law residing in Kerala, India, who was struck by a collection of tragedies. In 2002, Joseph’s mother-in-law, Annamma Thomas, died beneath unexplained circumstances, based on CNN. Six years later, in 2008, Joseph’s father-in-law was additionally lifeless of a presumed coronary heart assault. Given the age of the deceased and cultural customs in India, no autopsy was carried out on both physique.
A short while later, Jolly’s husband — Roy Thomas — additionally handed. This time, nonetheless, there was a autopsy, concluding Thomas died from cyanide poisoning nevertheless it was dominated out to be a suicide given the monetary points he was enduring on the time. By 2016, although, three extra individuals related to Jolly misplaced their lives, together with her deceased husband’s uncle, the two-year-old daughter (named Alphine) of Roy’s cousin Shaju, and the kid’s mom.
What may have motivated such a criminal offense spree, or was all of it simply lethal dangerous luck? In response to the info unearthed within the investigation of the case, Jolly killed all of them for love and cash.
Jolly Joseph remarried
A few yr after the final two deaths, Jolly Joseph acquired remarried to Shaju Zacharias, Alphine’s father and Roy’s cousin, in 2017. The investigation found that Jolly had secretly modified the household will in 2011, transferring belongings to her. In response to the prosecution, Jolly killed the opposite members of her household both to cowl her tracks or to get nearer to Zacharias, with whom she had an affair and needed to in the future marry.
In the meantime, different tales Jolly advised about her life started to crumble, like her declare to work as a professor on the Nationwide Institute of Know-how Calicut (NIT) college. Kozhikode district police superintendent KG Simon advised CNN: “One of many first issues that acquired us to suspect her was her habits.”
At first, Jolly maintained she was harmless, however earlier than lengthy, she confessed to her homicide spree, and in 2019, she was arrested at age 47. As of 2023, Joseph stays in custody in India and continues to be awaiting trial. If convicted, Jolly may very well be sentenced to life in jail or be put to loss of life.
