The Actual Culprit: After over a year of speculation, the actual culprit in the murder of Vera Bates has been discovered. Who killed Vera Bates? Why it was none other than Vera herself! In an elaborate plot to exact the ultimate revenge, she killed herself and framed her husband. How did she do it? She put arsenic in the pastry she used to make a pie she ate when John Bates was already on the train back to Downton. Apparently everything in the kitchen was tested and the authorities said it had to be in the pastry. Why this wasn’t brought up in court? Good question. No answer.
Mrs. Bartlett’s recounting of the events: “The door was open so I looked in. She was cooking but she had to post a letter so she walked me down the street. She said Bates was coming back later for his tea. She was terrified. She was in a strange mood. Jumpy, fearful, but determined. I remember she had made pastry and she was scrubbing it out of her nails like she didn’t care if she took the skin off.”
So, Vera had made the pastry while Bates was out. Then, she ate the pie after he had gone back to Downton. We know this because Bates says he wasn’t there when she was eating the pie. Also, the letter she sent to Mrs. Bartlett saying she was afraid of Bates was posted right after she had seen her. Why not just hand her the letter or say to her what was in it? She needed the letter to arrive after her death in order to point a finger at Bates. So, now we know who did it, the only thing left is to FREE BATES!
*This case is based on an actual historical event. For more information check out this link
"On Twitter there's a Legal Bates team" -Brendan Coyle 
