Dr. Angela Gallop, an internationally renowned forensic scientist, is featured in the new ITV1 series "Cold Case Forensics: The Death of God's Banker." The program reconstructs her investigations into historical murders, mirroring the deductive reasoning of fictional detectives.
The series premiere focuses on the 1982 death of Italian banker Roberto Calvi, who was found hanged beneath London's Blackfriars Bridge. Initially ruled a suicide by the Metropolitan Police, Dr. Gallop's forensic work cast doubt on this conclusion. To test the theory that Calvi was hanged, Dr. Gallop recreated the makeshift gallows in her garden.
She enlisted a colleague to test the setup, wearing period-appropriate clothing and weighted pockets. The colleague climbed the scaffolding while Dr. Gallop observed. Afterward, she immersed the colleague's shoes in river water, replicating the conditions at the crime scene. Microscopic examination of the shoe soles revealed flakes of paint and rust that had become embedded. Crucially, Calvi's own shoes showed no such traces, indicating he could not have climbed the scaffolding himself.
Dr. Gallop also used Calvi's wristwatch, which had stopped while he was partially submerged in the Thames, to help determine the time of death. By consulting tide tables, a method likened to those of Sherlock Holmes, she deduced that Calvi could not have reached the scaffolding by walking along the shore.
This logical process, described as "eliminate the impossible, and what remains must be the truth," led to the conclusion that Calvi did not die by suicide. The program features interviews with former police officers and crime reporters, alongside footage of Dr. Gallop's scientific analysis.
The series aims to provide viewers with a detailed look at forensic science, presenting complex cases in a manner accessible to those who appreciate classic detective narratives.