The BBC’s take on Agatha Christie’s Pale Horse reached its chilling climax last week.
But while viewers were gripped, it inspired one superfan to carry out his own deadly plan more than 30 years ago.
Twisted genius George Trepal almost got away with the “perfect crime” after spiking his neighbours’ Coca-Cola with thallium – the tasteless, colourless, odourless poison used in the whodunnit.
Mensa member Trepal, who organised murder mystery weekends, killed 41-year-old waitress Peggy Carr and poisoned four members of her family.
Following the BBC’s shocking finale, starring Rufus Sewell and Bertie Carvel, Peggy’s son Duane Dubberly has opened up about his family’s terrifying ordeal.
The electrician, who spent months in hospital after the poisoning, said Trepal was a “psycho genius” who killed for the thrill. “This guy has destroyed so many lives,” he said.
“He took away my mother. She died a terrible death. Iremember her being so ill, I had to carry her in my arms to hospital.
“Trepal poisoned my other relatives too and put me in hospital for ten agonising months. I thought I was going to die, and I went through a living hell.”
Peggy first started experiencing a tingling feeling in her limbs, followed by nausea and tightness in her chest. Then her hair started falling out.
She spent the final four months of her life in agony as a mystery illness ravaged her body from the inside out.
Her family only learned the truth two years later – that Trepal had sneaked into their house with murder in mind.
Duane, now 48, said: “It was chilling to learn Trepal had come into our home with an eight-pack of Coca-Cola spiked with poison because he wanted to kill us all.
“I just wish I knew why he chose to do it. We have never understood why. Maybe he did it for the thrill because he thought he could get away with it.”
Trepal crept into the Carr family home in Florida in October 1988 and left the deadly cola in their kitchen.
Detectives are clueless as to why he targeted his innocent neighbours, but they described him as a “diabolical killer” who thought he was smarter than the police.
As he languishes on death row, Trepal maintains his innocence.
