S05E10 - The 'Beauty in the Bath' Murder of Cynthia Bolshaw

In the tenth and final episode of British Murders Season 5, I tell the tragic story of Cynthia Bolshaw.

Cynthia was murdered in her luxury bungalow in Heswall, the Wirral, on October 8, 1983, and her body was placed face down into 18-inch deep bathwater.

Police had no idea who the culprit was until advances in DNA technology led them to a suspect almost 16 years later in March 1999.

John Edwin Taft was eventually convicted of Cynthia's murder but always proclaimed his innocence.

Did the police catch the man responsible? Or was John Taft sent down due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

This season finale is a real-life murder mystery, and I'd love to hear your opinions about it.

Intro music:⁣

David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣

https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣

My recording equipment:⁣

Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone

Cloud Microphone Cloudlifter CL1

Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Audio Interface

Rode PSA-1 Professional Studio Boom Arm

Sony CX450 Handycam

Recorded in:⁣

Hindenberg PRO

Edited in:⁣

DaVinci Resolve 17⁣

You can purchase 'The Serial Killer's Book of Haiku 2' by Rose Bundy here:⁣

https://amzn.to/3Kp7Mig⁣

References:⁣

40 attend Cynthia’s funeral. (1984, January 14). Liverpool Echo, 9. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Bath case jury is sent home. (1999, November 23). The Daily Telegraph, 13. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Bolshaw jury move. (1999, November 23). Liverpool Echo, 2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Bolshaw killer to appeal. (1999, December 13). Liverpool Echo, 4. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Brady, R. (1999, June 30). Murder charge. Liverpool Echo, 8. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Broadbent, R. (1992, February 14). Prison bid to break a murder stalemate. The Chester Chronicle, 9. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Bunyan, N. (1999a, November 11). “Beauty in the bath killer” thought he had escaped justice. The Daily Telegraph, 4. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Bunyan, N. (1999b, November 12). Wife tells “secret of murder case visit.” The Daily Telegraph, 5. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Businessman denies “body in bath” murder charge. (1999, July 29). Liverpool Echo, 4. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Caller told of murder clues. (1984, March 22). Liverpool Echo, 9. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Companion sought in killer hunt. (1983, October 17). Liverpool Echo, 3. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Dean, H. (1999a, November 10). EX-WIFE TIPPED CYNTHIA POLICE. Liverpool Echo, 1–4. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Dean, H. (1999b, November 11). “HE ASKED ME FOR ALIBI.” Liverpool Echo, 1–11. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

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Dean, H. (1999g, November 18). TAFT: I HAD SEX WITH CYNTHIA But I did not kill her, court told. Liverpool Echo, 1–9. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Delayed funeral. (1984, January 13). Liverpool Echo, 18. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Dillon, M. (1999, April 17). BODY-IN-BATH MURDER CHARGE. Liverpool Echo, 1–2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Elias, R. (1999a, November 25). Killer’s wife fights to clear his name. Liverpool Echo, 1–2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

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LAST DRINKS BEFORE MURDER. (1983, October 14). Chester Observer, 1. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Man faces murder court. (1999, June 8). Liverpool Echo, 2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Marles, L. (2009, November 4). EXCLUSIVE: Dramatic new twist to Wirral’s Beauty in the Bath murder. Wirral Globe. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/4717814.exclusive-dramatic-new-twist-to-wirrals-beauty-in-the-bath-murder/

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Murder accused back in court. (1999, May 25). Liverpool Echo, 2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Murder accused in bail bid. (1999, May 5). Liverpool Echo, 15. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Murder posters. (1983, November 9). Liverpool Echo, 3. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

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Neild, L. (1999, April 27). Murder charge man in court. Liverpool Echo, 2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

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New move in murder probe. (1983, November 4). Liverpool Echo, 8. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Phone ban on Bolshaw case woman. (1983, December 1). Liverpool Echo, 4. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Police face mystery of a murdered woman’s friends. (1984, January 6). Chester Observer, 28. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Police follow new clues in hunt for divorcee’s killer. (1989, November 1). Bebington News, 14. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Roberts, B. (1983a, October 26). Murder team think they’re very close. Liverpool Echo, 9. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Roberts, B. (1983b, November 3). Police chief: “I’ll meet you anywhere.” Liverpool Echo, 12. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

Roughley, L. (1999, July 8). Man is refused bail. Liverpool Echo, 26. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

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Tobin, O. (2019, November 24). Chilling “beauty in the bath” murder that rocked Merseyside and left detectives baffled. Liverpool Echo. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/chilling-beauty-bath-murder-rocked-17288811

WE’VE GOT YOUR PRINT. (1999, March 17). Liverpool Echo, 1. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.

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