Walter James Bolton was born on August 13, 1888, in Wanganui, New Zealand, and spent most of his early life in the nearby rural settlement of Mangamahu. Growing up in an agricultural environment, Bolton learned farming practices from a young age and eventually became a farmer himself.

In 1913, he married Beatrice Mabel Jones, and together they built a life working on their farm while raising their children. Friends and neighbors described Bolton as a typical hardworking farmer of his time, known for his quiet demeanor and devotion to his land and family. For many years, their marriage appeared stable, but as they aged, cracks began to show.

Beatrice suffered from prolonged illness later in life, leaving her physically weakened and dependent on care from both her husband and her sister, Florence. Florence moved in to help look after Beatrice during her illness, which reportedly caused tension within the household. Rumors surfaced that Walter and Florence had developed a closer relationship while Beatrice was bedridden.

Despite this, there was no public indication that Walter had a history of criminal behavior or violence before the tragic events of 1956. He was considered a respected member of the rural community, someone unlikely to be involved in a serious crime.

On July 11, 1956, Beatrice Bolton died after a long period of illness. An autopsy later revealed that she had been poisoned with arsenic. Investigators found that arsenic, commonly used as a farm chemical, was accessible on the Bolton property. This discovery led to a police investigation and suspicion that Walter had deliberately poisoned his wife.

Authorities also noted that Florence, Beatrice’s sister, was living with the couple during this time and was allegedly having an affair with Walter. Prosecutors claimed that Walter and Florence had conspired to murder Beatrice and that they destroyed Beatrice’s personal diary, which could have revealed crucial information about their motives and household tensions.

The defense argued that Beatrice’s poisoning was accidental, possibly caused by arsenic-contaminated water on the farm. Tests confirmed that traces of arsenic were present in the farm’s water supply, and both Walter and one of his daughters also had traces of arsenic in their systems. Despite this evidence suggesting accidental exposure, the jury did not accept the defense.

In September 1956, Walter Bolton was arrested and formally charged with murder. The trial moved swiftly, and he was found guilty within a short time. He was sentenced to death by hanging.

On February 18, 1957, Walter Bolton was executed at Mount Eden Prison in Auckland. Reports from that day claimed the execution was botched, as Bolton did not die instantly from a broken neck but was instead slowly strangled. At age 68, he became the last person ever executed in New Zealand before the abolition of the death penalty for homicide in 1961.

Bolton’s case remains controversial. Over the years, doubts have surfaced about his guilt. Two Members of Parliament, Walter Nash and Fred Hackett, referred to the case during debates on the death penalty, suggesting that Bolton may have been wrongfully executed. Decades later, Bolton’s son, James, sought to clear his father’s name. Historian Sherwood Young revisited the case in his 1998 book on capital punishment, further fueling speculation that Walter Bolton might have been innocent.