Man Kills Wife in Scissors Attack Inspired by HBO Series, Police Say

A 53-year-old man in India has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife with scissors, a crime authorities say was inspired by the HBO series "The Staircase." The man, Kamal Singh, reportedly told investigators that he believed he could get away with the murder by disposing of the weapon, mirroring a plot point in the television drama.

Komal Singh, 50, was found dead in the couple's home in Delhi with multiple stab wounds to her neck and back. A pair of blood-stained scissors was recovered from the scene. The couple's adult son discovered his mother's body later that evening.

Authorities apprehended Kamal Singh on Monday as he was preparing to board a train to flee. He was found with approximately $13,400 in cash. Police stated that Singh confessed to killing his wife over a property dispute and admitted to purchasing the scissors used in the attack just days prior.

Singh told investigators that the murder plot was inspired by the 2022 HBO series "The Staircase." The show, which starred Colin Firth and Toni Collette, dramatized the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson and the subsequent murder trial of her husband, crime novelist Michael Peterson. Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their North Carolina home.

While Michael Peterson was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, his conviction was later overturned due to irregularities. In 2017, he entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter and was released from custody. Kamal Singh allegedly told investigators that he believed, like the character portrayed by Colin Firth in the series, that successfully disposing of the murder weapon would allow him to evade capture. However, Singh reportedly failed to dispose of the scissors, leaving them behind in a bag at the residence.

Police indicated that a combination of scientific investigation, CCTV analysis, and surveillance dismantled Singh's escape plan.

![A man and woman are shown in a promotional image for the HBO series 'The Staircase']( "Colin Firth and Toni Collette star in HBO's "The Staircase."" )