Deadly Intelligence Season 1 Episode 3

Ep 3. Anthrax Killer: FBI's Unsolved Mystery

  • TV-14
  • April 22, 2018
  • 42 min

In season 1, episode 3 of Deadly Intelligence, the FBI's Unsolved Mystery surrounding the Anthrax Killer is examined. This episode takes a deep dive into the 2001 Anthrax attacks that shocked the United States right after the 9/11 terror attacks and the missing links in the investigation that has left the crime unsolved for almost two decades.

The episode begins by giving an overview of the anthrax attacks of 2001 that caused five deaths and infected 17 more, triggering widespread panic and fear of bioterrorism in the United States. The investigation established that the anthrax spores were weaponized and sent through the mail. FBI agents worked tirelessly to track down the perpetrator to prevent a reoccurrence of the events.

Through interviews with law enforcement officials, experts in bioterrorism, and victims' families, the episode highlights the challenges that came with investigating the anthrax attacks. The FBI found themselves looking for a needle in a haystack as the strain used in the attacks belonged to a lab that supplied spores to almost a thousand laboratories globally, making it even harder to identify who was responsible for the heinous crime.

The bulk of the episode then focuses on the prime suspect in the investigation, Dr. Bruce Ivins, a microbiologist at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, who committed suicide in 2008, before a formal charge was brought against him. The episode discusses how the FBI extensively interrogated Ivins, and how his knowledge of the anthrax strain led them to him eventually becoming the prime suspect in the investigation.

The show then documents Ivins's troubled life and the evidence against him, from his mental health issues to failed polygraph tests and how he had access to the media equipment used to prepare the anthrax that was sent through the mail. The episode presents different opinions and perspectives regarding Ivins' guilt and possible motives for his actions. While some individuals close to Ivins maintain that he was an innocent victim, others portray him as an unstable personality with a possible vendetta against the FBI and other targets.

Throughout the episode, experts provide insight into the challenges of investigating bioterrorism and the potential threats and dangers such attacks present to the nation. The show highlights interesting details of the complexity of bioterrorism and the work that is being done to prevent it.

In conclusion, Deadly Intelligence, season 1, episode 3, paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by the FBI in investigating the Anthrax Killer and their efforts to bring the perpetrator to justice. It highlights the difficulties in identifying the perpetrator of a bioterrorist attack and the significant impact it has on the individuals and families affected. The Anthrax Killer: FBI's Unsolved Mystery leaves viewers with a sense of the weight that this case has carried and leaves them mesmerized as they seek to understand what went behind one of the most significant investigations in modern US history.

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Description
  • First Aired
    April 22, 2018
  • Content Rating
    TV-14
  • Runtime
    42 min
  • Language
    English