A mysterious murder rocked London in 1978 when Bulgarian defector Georgi Ivanov Markov died after being poked by the tip of a poisoned umbrella while crossing Waterloo Bridge.
Markov, a playwright working for the BBC, was a vocal critic of Bulgaria’s communist regime.
On September 7, 1978, while waiting for a bus, he felt a sharp pain in his thigh and saw a stranger picking up an umbrella from the ground.
Despite feeling unwell, Markov went to work as usual but later fell ill and was hospitalized with blood poisoning.
An autopsy revealed a small pellet in his thigh containing ricin, a deadly substance that prevents cells from producing proteins.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was discovered that the Russian spy unit KGB had developed these menacing umbrellas.
Despite suspicion surrounding a Communist agent nicknamed “Agent Piccadilly,” no one has ever been brought to justice for Markov’s murder.
A recent documentary reignited interest in the case, focusing on the alleged secret activities of Francesco Gullino, also known as “Piccadilly.”
Gullino, who maintained a double life as an art dealer and secret agent, denied involvement in Markov’s murder but was found dead in Austria shortly after being interviewed.
As of June 2024, Scotland Yard has not provided any updates on the investigation, leaving the case shrouded in mystery.
The legacy of the Bulgarian dissident’s tragic death lives on with the unresolved questions surrounding his assassination.
